Acclaimed chef and restaurant owner Scott Pickett has been named President of Bocuse d’Or Australia, the organisation that selects and trains the chef to represent Australia in the world’s most prestigious culinary contest.
Former President Tom Milligan will assume the new title of Team Director to support Scott, along with Vice President Deepak Mishra and Honorary Life President Philippe Mouchel.
Scott competed in the Bocuse d’Or in 2005 and has served Team Australia as coach (2016-2021) and as Australia’s representative on the Jury (pictured above) at the Grand Final in January 2023 .
“Competing in the Bocuse d’Or was one of the proudest moments of my life and to now lead our team is an immense honour,” says Scott, whose restaurants include Estelle, Matilda, Audrey’s, Chancery Lane, Longrain and Smith St Bistrot under the Scott Pickett Group brand.
Currently Team Australia’s chef Paul Golding and commis chef Chris Milligan are training to compete in the regional qualifier, the Bocuse d’Or Asia Pacific 2024.
“The competition in Asia next year will be fierce, but our team will be more than ready,” says Scott. “Paul is a talented and dedicated chef – this combined with coaching from some of Australia’s finest chefs means he is sure to be among the strongest contenders for gold next year in Asia.”
The Bocuse d’Or (Golden Bocuse) culinary contest is headquartered in France and was established by the iconic chef Paul Bocuse in 1987. Frequently referred to as the culinary equivalent of the Olympic Games, the event is the world’s most renowned cooking competition, where preparation and cooking of all intricate dishes is performed in front of a live audience in a stadium-like atmosphere.
“There is nothing on earth like the Bocuse d’Or,” says Scott. “It brings together a vibrant community of elite chefs and promotes culinary innovation, ingenuity and imagination. Like an athlete, Paul will need to be fit, focused and ready to fight for Australia’s place at the world’s table, and I can’t wait to lead him on The Road to Lyon.”