SIRHA BOCUSE D'OR, INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS AT THE HEART OF SIRHA LYON

For 30 years, Sirha Bocuse d'Or has honored chefs who perpetuate Paul Bocuse's timeless cooking spirit through their devotion to the profession and cooking. Wanted by a cook for cooks, Sirha Bocuse d'Or is more than a gastronomic competition; it is a universal system of sharing in high definition and recognition on a planetary scale. It is a universal language, understood on the five continents and embodied through creations, plates, and dishes, as sensitive as they are spectacular, in the enthusiasm of a global audience. Technique and innovation, commitment, and human values are revealed as discoverers of the great talents of the Haute Cuisine of tomorrow.

The spotlight is now on for Brian Mark, who was born in the south of Jutland, and from birth, he was immersed in the life of the hotel run by his parents in the small town of Vojhens. His father worked in the kitchen, serving traditional Danish dishes, while his mother helped with service. He loved the atmosphere in the kitchen. Even at a very early age, Brian wanted to create; there was no internet then. He bought the magazine Taste and Pleasure monthly, searching for inspiration elsewhere to create new dishes with his father. He ultimately decided to find his path in life but was thankful to his parents for giving him so much.

He attended a cooking school where he established a solid band of friends with whom he is still in contact. Together they earned their culinary stripes in the famous seaside resort of Skagen; he stayed there for three years which only intensified his love for the profession; then, with his sports bag under his arm, he left for the capital, where he became a sous-chef at Søllerød Kro, in the Copenhagen suburbs. After a two-year detour in Klampenborg, he returned, never to leave again, and thanks to his talent, the establishment has managed to preserve its Michelin star. In the setting of this former inn founded in 1677, he serves a very personal cuisine, open to the world. The critical criterion is the excellent quality of the products, regardless of their source.

Brian is close to his children; he occasionally cooks with his son Buster and is overjoyed to see his daughter Dicte join him on the podium in January 2023 Rebecca is also critical; working alongside him as the dessert chef, she shares her life with him Whenever possible, they love to travel to find inspiration everywhere they go; the choice criteria for their destinations: good cuisine and good wines!

Brian Mark has a ritual to keep up the pace: every morning, before getting started in the kitchen, he runs 5 km. He also tries to keep to his three fitness sessions a week. Another thing he loves about cooking is working with others, a mindset observed at the Bocuse d'Or, where his team was united around him and his commis chef, Elisabeth Madsen

Winning the Bocuse d'Or had been his dream for 20 years! But true to form, he was back down to earth in no time and ready to "cook up a storm" again at the restaurant. https://www.soelleroed-kro.dk/

Photo & Story Source: Bocuse D'Or Winners