Bocuse d’Or
An extraordinary collaboration of three crafts:
A knife sharpener, a knife maker and a painter of traditional Delft Blue.
How did this collaboration come about?
Japanese knifemaker Ryusen designed a knife in 2013 for the Japanese Bocuse d’Or team who came in third in the contest, at that time. I have been importing Ryusen knives since 2012. In 2014, I designed a unique steak knife for the new Librije in collaboration with Ryusen. In 2016, the Dutch team, consisting of Chef Jan Smink, Commis Sander Verhaaf and Coach Lars Aukema, qualified for the world finals of the prestigious Bocuse d’Or culinary contest in Lyon in 2017.
Jan Smink and Lars Aukema both work in the kitchen of the De Librije and executive Chef Jonnie Boer is the chairman of Bocuse d’Or Nederland.