Top Chefs celebrate the legacy of Paul Bocuse

Alain Roux, chef-patron of The Waterside Inn in Bray, last week invited Tom Phillips, sous chef at Restaurant Story and the UK’s Bocuse d’Or candidate for 2018, to sample dishes from the restaurant’s Menu Saveurs Lyonnaises – a tribute to chef Paul Bocuse who passed away in  January aged 91.

Paul Bocuse, one of the founders of nouvelle cuisine, was a world-renowned chef thanks to his desire to share his passion and culinary skills beyond boundaries. In 1987, he founded the Bocuse d’Or chef contest, which has grown to become the largest and most prestigious chef competition in the world. Chefs from all over the world compete every second year in Lyon, France’s culinary capital, but first they need to secure a place in the continental selections.

Alain’s father Michel founded The Waterside Inn, the only restaurant outside of France to have held three Michelin stars for 34 years. As a young chef, Michel was friends with Paul Bocuse and fondly remembers the times the chef took him to Lyon’s food markets.

Tom Phillips, aged 26, will compete for a place in the world final at the European selection which will take place in Turin, Italy on June 11-12. He and commis chef Nathan Lane will have 5 hours 35 to produce 15 plates using a specified list of fruit and vegetables to accompany chicken egg and Blue Mountain Pasture Castelmagno DOP cheese plus a platter of 15 portions using beef  fillet from Fassona Piemontese pedigree, calf sweetbread and Baraggia Biellese and Vercellese rice.

Alain took Tom through the dishes which are all inspired by Bocuse’s home city and said,“It was great to spend time with Tom who is carrying the hopes of the UK as he competes in what will be a life-changing challenge. The Bocuse d’Or is an amazing spectacle but also a huge commitment for any chef, everyone at The Waterside Inn wishes Tom and Nathan the very best of luck for Turin.”

Says Tom, “The Waterside Inn is well deserving of its reputation as one of the UK’s best  restaurants and its three Michelin stars. It’s testament to Paul Bocuse’s legacy that Chef Alain and his team are paying him tribute with the Menu Saveurs Lyonnaises. It was fantastic to sample the dishes and to talk to Alain about a chef who has inspired us both.”

The Menu Saveurs Lyonnaises is available Wednesday – Friday until Friday 4 May. The lunch is priced at £69 for three courses (69 is Lyon’s area code), a glass of champagne, glass of white wine and glass of red wine and dinner is £95 for four courses with a glass of champagne. Call 01628 620691 or email reservations@waterside-inn.co.uk to make a reservation.