[3][4][5][6][7][8] Following an idea by Boulud, the Bocuse d'Or was applied as the theme of an episode of Top Chef season 6, representing the biggest publicity the event has to date received in the United States.
Presentation of the plates comprises 50% of the contestant's total score, broken down to 10% for texture and cuisson (perfection in doneness), harmony of flavors, sophistication and creativity.
The judges included Traci Des Jardins, Alain Sailhac, Harmut Handke, Daniel Humm, Gavin Kaysen, David Myers, Patrick O'Connell, Georges Perrier, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
[2] The gold medal was won by Timothy Hollingsworth, then a sous-chef at Thomas Keller's restaurant French Laundry, defeating among others Top Chef season 3 winner Hung Huynh.
[2][8][11] Hollingsworth and his commis Guest went on to place sixth at the international Bocuse d'Or 2009, equalling the best U.S. result to date of Hartmut Handke in 2003.
[18] In the 2010 format, twelve teams competed to create two elaborate presentations, one featuring salmon and one lamb, each accompanied by five elaborate garnishes in 5½ hours, produced in front a live audience and a panel of judges, including Keller and Boulud, Traci Des Jardins, Alain Sailhac, Timothy Hollingsworth, Grant Achatz, Alan Wong, and Eric Ziebold.
[8][28] The Bocuse d'Or USA regional final was arranged on January 28–29, 2012 again at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.