Blancpain, Official Timekeeper of the World Cuisine Contest
Blancpain Honours The Winning Chef of the 2007 Bocuse d’Or Chef hats in place! To the stoves! This was a no-holds barred contest for the 24 candidates in the Bocuse d’Or 2007 held January 23 and 24, in the context of the International Hotel Catering and Food Trade Exhibition in Lyons. 24 contestants - one winner. Fabrice DESVIGNES, from the Cuisines de la Présidence du Sénat in Paris (France) won this most coveted of prizes in international gastronomy and was presented with one of Blancpain’s horological jewels, the Léman Réveil GMT watch.
The quest for excellence, savoir faire, fine precision and a passion for details are values which Blancpain shares with the world of gastronomy. Blancpain was honoured as well to be selected as the timekeeper in this most famous contest in world gastronomy; the Bocuse d’Or.
As official timekeeper, Blancpain's famous Léman Chronographe Flyback recorded the time of the contest as 5 hours and 30 minutes. During this period the competitors marshalled their talents in the difficult quest for victory. Each of the 24 chefs competed against each other on the themes of Bresse Chicken PDO, Norwegian White Halibut and Norwegian Red King Crab.
Watched by rows of fervent supporters, the chefs set out to impress the jury of experts composed of the most celebrated chefs in the world, including the President of the jury Paul Bocuse.
The world’s oldest watch brand, which shares an undeniable flair for the art of living and refinement with Haute Gastronomy, thereby brilliantly celebrates its passion for this distinguished universe. In its capacity as the official timekeeper of this contest, Blancpain had the honour of awarding the winner Fabrice DESVIGNES an especially hand-engraved Léman Réveil GMT watch worth € 14,000.
This timepiece testifies to the high art of watch-making and brilliantly combines the valuable knowhow of our forebears and the expectations of today's travellers in that it offers two essential complications: a second time-zone indication and a mechanical alarm function. Its steel case is 40mm in diameter and fitted with sapphire back enabling one to admire its automatic movement and its winding rotor, all assembled and decorated by hand by Blancpain's master watchmakers.