BAJA CHEF TEAM BRINGS HOME AWARD FROM INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Accolade recognizes humanitarian work focused in Tijuana
The Mexican chef team that competed recently at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or in Lyon, France, was awarded the inaugural Social Commitment Award at the international culinary contest.
The competition, held Jan. 22-23, has always sought candidates with a commitment to social work, from food aid to education or sustainability. This year Bocuse d’Or created the Social Commitment Award to foster an environment of responsibility among the participants, and the Mexican team was selected as the winner.
The prize of 7,500 euros
(about $8,150 in U.S. dollars) recognized the anti-hunger volunteer work done by chef Ruffo Ibarra, who was the president of the Mexican delegation and a judge in the championship. The Mexican team was led by chef Marcelo Hisake.
Since 2018, Ibarra has been involved with the World Central Kitchen, This is About Humanity and the Tijuana Sin Hambre Foundation. Together with the latter, Ibarra participated in the inauguration of a kitchen in Tijuana’s Zona Centro that serves eight migrant shelters and three vulnerable communities, providing food to 1,500 people a day. Tijuana Sin Hambre was founded by Maru Riqué in April 2020 in response to the pandemic and it now has 1,200 volunteers.
The first-place winner of the 2023 Bocuse d’Or was the team from Denmark, under the leadership of chef Brian Mark Hansen. Together, they earned 2,076 points and $21,500 in prize money. The silver medal went to Norway’s team, led by chef Filip August Bendi, with 1,971 points and a $15,000 prize. Third place went to Hungary’s team led by chef Bene Dalkoni of Stand Restaurant in Budapest with 1,955 points and a $10,000 prize.
The award for best commis (novice chef) went to Leon Haarberg Nilsen of the Norwegian team. The best children’s menu went to France with chef Nais Pirollet; and the best themed dish went to Sweden.