The Boiron Frères Young Talents Trophy has become an essential feature of the French culinary landscape.

Every year, the Young Talents Trophy, organised by the Boiron Frères corporate foundation, offers its three prizewinners a year’s training abroad with one of three gourmet chefs (Bocuse d’Or Winners, …). It is an exceptional opportunity, recognised as such, just one year after it was created.
On 30th June, Cyndie Guillot, Floriane Brilhaut and Mélina Greiss, the three winners of the first Boiron Frères Young Talents Trophy returned to France to leave room for the #2 prizewinners: Pablo Leveau of the catering school of Le Touquet, Félix Brun of the catering school of Grenoble and Valentine Payan of the catering school of Marseille. The meeting was memorable, gastronomic and very hospitable. The Boiron Frères Young Talents served delicious food and impressed the partners and journalists invited by the Boiron Frères corporate foundation at a welcome home dinner in Paris. Cyndie designed the “Nordic Cool” starter, helped by Pablo; Floriane prepared the main course, a fillet of hake with pickles, artichoke and rhubarb purees, asparagus and beurre noisette, helped by Felix; Mélina did the dessert and served an almond crumble with strawberry charlotte, cake, sorbet, yoghurt and hibiscus, elderflower with Valentine. Michel Roth, the vice-president of the Bocuse d’Or Winners, the initial sponsor of the Trophy, was amazed by the maturity - both technical and personal - acquired in one year by the first round of prizewinners

Cyndie eagerly acknowledged the fact: “Without the Trophy, I would not have gone abroad. But accompanied and supported as I was, I gained in confidence and now all I want to do is get away again”. She will do this on 1st November when she leaves for Norway, “a country where I feel so good. I’m a very stressed out person and the Norwegians calm me down”. She has been taken on by Geir Skeie to prepare gourmet breakfasts at the hotel, his mountain restaurant, Brygga 11. There she will prepare breads, pastries, pâtés and salads. After the season, she aims to work for a starred restaurant in Denmark to continue to learn the art of excellence.

Mélina is off to Sweden at Henrik Norström’s whose hospitality and cuisine she particularly appreciates. This time she will be working in the B.A.R. Restaurant in Stockholm. Floriane plans to go to Asia in January, combining her taste for discovery and ability to seize opportunities. The three young women have become autonomous and are now capable of nurturing their talent with high level experiences and multicultural influences.

This is an unparalleled asset for young graduates of a BTS diploma in Culinary Arts, understood by French catering schools whose professional associations, Aflyht and Anephot warmly welcomed the Trophy at their last Convention.

The press was quick to spot the value of the Trophy too. Radio, TV and daily regional newspapers have taken a strong interest in this year’s prizewinners and the trade press has broadly covered the welcome home dinner event.

The Boiron Frères Young Talents Trophy immediately became part of the international gourmet landscape from its very first edition.

And would you like to welcome a Trophy prizewinner in your gourmet restaurant?
Contact the Boiron Frères corporate foundation to talk about it!