Love and authenticity won in the Bocuse d’Or

It has been exciting days, with much at stake in Lyon the past week. One thing has struck me as I watched from the sidelines.

Love. Yes, love is very present in the kitchen, that is the main recipe you can see in the Bocuse d’Or. Naturally the love for the ingredients, using it for the best taste and wonderful dishes, but also trying to minimize waste. In the end it is the love for taste, the tempting food for the eye and the smells coming from the dishes, all amazing.

The best and biggest love though, that I have seen in the kitchen in the 2023 version of the toughest individual chef’s competition in Lyon, is the love inside the teams.

To respect and cheer each other on in this really hard challenge is a challenge in itself. To take time to recognize good team effort, to praise good deliveries, to see other fight and work hard, is a test of love. To understand that love will take you closer to the win than yelling to each other.

The Norwegian chef, Filip Bendi is a leader who is looking to maintain a loving work environment when the heat is on. That is why he and his team could enter the podium holding the silver trophy on Monday.

His skills in the kitchen are undisputable, with experience from top star restaurants in Stockholm, Copenhagen and New York. But he also made an effort to cheer on his team, to support and recognize each individual contributing and to see the person when the going got tough.

To me that is true and conscious authentic leadership. It is love from the heart and spine. And that is why he stands out as one of the best chefs in the world. I cannot wait to see his path going forward.