Team Australia reveals a dynamic lineup of chefs, with Scott Pickett and Dan Arnold supporting Chef Alex McIntosh and his assistant Tristan Spain on the Road to Lyon.
The new team comprises:
Competitor Chef:
Alex McIntosh – Executive Chef, Sou’West Brewery Torquay
Commis Chef:
Tristan Spain – Chef de Partie, Vue de Monde, Melbourne
Head Coach:
Dan Arnold – Chef Owner, Restaurant Dan Arnold, Brisbane
Jury Member:
Scott Pickett – Chef Owner, Scott Pickett Group, Victoria
In other moves, Australia’s favourite French chef Philippe Mouchel has been named Honorary Life President, and board member Deepak Mishra has stepped up as Vice President. Deepak supports President Tom Milligan in organising the national competition, plus training and fundraising for the Australian team to compete internationally.
Alex McIntosh was selected as Australia’s competitor in the world’s most elite culinary contest at a national competition held in February at Foodservice Australia in Melbourne. He came ahead of three other contenders to win the ‘Golden Knife’ trophy and title Bocuse d’Or Australia 2022. Tristan Spain was named ‘Best Commis’ of the competition and offered the position on Team Australia.
This month Team Australia submitted its entry to the Bocuse d’Or Asia Pacific 2022 – a dish required to include tofu as the main protein. Just five countries out of 12 from the region will be selected to compete in the Bocuse d’Or Grand Final to be held at SIRHA expo in Lyon, 22-24 January 2023.
Tom explains that under new Bocuse d’Or rules, a chef other than the President must be nominated as Australia’s representative on the international judging panel.
“I can think of no better chef than Scott to be our Jury Member if we are selected for the world’s most elite culinary competition,” he says. “He knows exactly how high the standards are and has a palate honed by many years of cooking at fine dining level.”
As Chef Owner of 10 venues in the Scott Pickett Group – including the recently opened Audrey’s at The Continental Sorrento – Scott has been a passionate champion of Bocuse d’Or since he competed in 2005.
Meanwhile acclaimed Brisbane chef Dan Arnold trained in France with Bocuse d’Or 2005 winner Serge Vieira and achieved Australia’s best ever result at the Grand Final in Lyon, at eighth place.
“Having competed recently and been coached himself by none other than French culinary heroes Serge Vieira and Romuald Fassenet as well as Scott, Dan is the perfect mentor and role model for our competing chef Alex McIntosh,” says Tom.
“We are headed into a new era for Bocuse d’Or Australia, and can’t wait to see what this team achieves on The Road to Lyon.”