Romania will enter for the first time the world circuit of the Bocuse d’Or gastronomic competition, considered a symbol of international culinary excellence. Five teams of professional chefs will compete in the Bocuse d’Or Romania National Selection, an event scheduled for November 27, 2025. The winning team will represent the country at the European stage, Bocuse d’Or Europe 2026, which will take place in Marseille, France. This participation marks a historic moment for local gastronomy, being Romania’s first official presence in the competition since its foundation in 1987.
The event is organized by the National Association of Chefs and Confectioners in Tourism (ANBCT), whose president, Chef Cezar Munteanu, underlined that the selected teams bring together professionals from top local and international restaurants. According to the rules, each team is composed of a Chef, a Commis (a young chef born after January 24, 2004) and a Coach, the latter having a strategic role, without being directly involved in the cooking process. The competition will last six hours and will be judged by an international jury.
The five finalist teams for the national selection are:
1. Chef Vasilică-Marinică Bejenaru (IKA Culinary Olympics 2024 medalist), coach Liviu Preda and commis Andrei Fabian Lupoi.
2. Chef Bogdan Cozma (IKA Culinary Olympics award-winner), trainer Dadiana Munteanu (double medalist at IKA 2024) and commis Andrei Nicolae Miron (Head Chef, D.A.R Events Restaurant).
3. Chef Emanuel Mocan (Chef Arena 2017 winner, IKA 2024 medalist), trainer Dragoș Bercea and commis Alexia Stan (Sous Chef, One Soul Brasov).
4. Chef Laurențiu Neamțu (experience in Michelin-starred restaurants), trainer Daniel Nistor (IKA 2024 and 2020 medalist) and commis Mihai Pușcalău (student, American Hotel Academy).
5. Chef Mihai Ciprian Necula (international career over 25 years), trainer Cristian George Mihali (chef in France, Michelin experience) and commis Andra Maria Huțanu.