Tracking the Bocuse d’Or: Meet Norway’s Geir Skeie

Geir Skeie, chef at a restaurant in Sandefjord, Norway, is competing in this year's Bocuse d'Or.

The Bocuse d’Or, the international culinary competition that takes place every two years in Lyon, France, begins Tuesday. At this point, all of the chefs are gathered in Lyon and are getting ready to compete over the next two days — 12 on Tuesday and 12 on Wednesday.

Representing the U.S. is Timothy Hollingsworth from the French Laundry, who has been in Lyon since Jan. 16. He’s been doing full practice runs there to get acclimated (as in getting used to using French butter and cream).

Hollingsworth faces stiff competition; among his top rivals will be Norway’s Geir Skeie (pictured right). If there were a prize for best chef wearing scuba gear while holding a cod and a giant fork, guess who’d win.

Skeie’s a chef at a restaurant in Sandefjord, Norway, called Midtaasen, whose chef-owner — Odd Ivar Solvold — won bronze at the Bocuse d’Or in ’97.  Although France won in every year it competed until 1999, Norway’s been giving the French a run for their cuisine.

The Norwegians, who are coming up in the culinary world and train hard for the competition, go all out. Skeie has a Bocuse d’Or semi-trailer decorated with a picture of himself holding a 20-pound cod….

To read the full interview with Geir Skeie, click here!

Source: Los Angeles Times blog “Daily Dish”