Going head-to-head for their place in the 2019 final in Lyon (France), are:

• Tom Phillips, UK
• David Szkudlarek, Poland
• Lode De Roover, Belgium
• Bjarni Siguróli Jakobsson, Iceland
• Adam Pohner, Hungary
• Marvin Böhm. Germany
• Lars Drost. Netherland
• Juan Maniel Salgado, Spain
• Matthieu Otto, France
• Mario Garcia, Switzerland
• Andrey Matuha, Russia
• Sebastian Gibrand, Sweden
• Zlatko Novak, Croatia
• Ismo Sipeläinen, Finland
• Christian André Pettersen, Norway
• Kenneth Toft-Hansen, Denmark
• Martino Ruggieri, Italy
• Nikola Nikolov, Bulgaria
• Pavel Gurjanov, Estonia
• Mutlu Şevket Yilmaz, Turkey

With only 10 places available, each chef – widely regarded as the “best” in Europe - will have to demonstrate their skills and creativity throughout the two tests, using compulsory “yet unexpected” products - cheese Castelmagno PDO and eggs.

With the help of their commis, each chef has five and a half hours to complete the following challenges:

• Create a tray using Piedmontese products: male beef fillet Piemontese breed National Meat Quality System; Baraggia Biellese and Vercellese Rice, S. Andrea PDO Variety.
• Theme on a plate – create and produce a 15-cover recipe using the two compulsory ingredients - cheese and eggs – as well as other ingredients of their choice from the on-site ‘market’

Candidates will be compelled to select at least one slow food product this year, as the Bocuse d’Or continues to promote “new gastronomy trends and expectations.”