It's over a week now since the finals in Lyon and I can't deny how gutted I was on hearing the result.  The standard this year was exceptional and there is no way that we'd be able to challenge the Danes but to come 13th was a big disappointment.  It was a long way to fall following our performance in Geneva (reaching fourth place) and it isn't a case of what went wrong because as far as we were concerned we'd done enough to be in the top ten. 

We had so much optimism and support going into the final that I thought that we could make a big impression this year.  I felt confident with my dishes and with my team, Jordan and Nick, who have both been tremendous.

But there have been many positives and we had a great crowd out in Lyon.  There might not have been as many Brits as French, Swedes and Americans but those of you who came really did us proud.  It was fantastic looking up to see the Union Jacks waving and to hear the horns ... and the chants!  It was also a bit of a shock when I heard Katy's voice over the microphone and looked up to see her being interviewed by the American compere.  Tansy and Cicely arrived a little later and looked fab with their Union Jack t-shirts and hair ribbons. My whole family have been a great support, my mum and dad drove the ingredients and equipment over and my brother, Christian travelled over to watch.  I'm looking forward to having a bit more time to spend with them all now that this is over!

Over the last few months, we've managed to capture the imagination of chefs, professionals and food lovers who are intrigued by the contest.  We've had some fantastic exposure in the media and I'd like to thank Amanda Afiya for following our story in Caterer & Hotelkeeper and giving me this blog.  Amanda's article in the Jan 21st issue did a great job of summing up what the Bocuse d'Or is about and the front cover wasn't bad either!

We had journalists from the Observer and The Guardian Online out in Lyon and I'm keen to see their take on the event. 

In terms of next steps, we (Team UK) have reflected on our performance in Lyon and we're now looking forward to what needs to be done to give us a decent chance next time.  I have already offered my services to help give the next candidate a better understanding of the scale of the undertaking.  I am also running a Masterclass a Cafe Spice Namaste on February 9th, where I'll be showing the guests how to create my Bocuse d'Or dishes.  

There are so many people who have played a part in our journey and I want to thank every one of you.  From the major sponsors, Electrolux Professional, Nestlé Professional, Compass Group, Scotch Lamb, Seafood Scotland, Baxter Storey, Unilever Foodsolutions, Hobart, Aubrey Allen and those that donated products, to the chefs who helped me with my dishes and made it down to Torquay for the tastings, to the journalists and supporters out in Lyon to the tweeters and the followers.  I know that the result wasn't what we wanted but I hope that you'll be joining us again on the next road to Lyon.

In two days time we'll be heading off to Lyon.  It doesn't seem very long since we were preparing for Geneva but now the big one is just around the corner.  

Being in charge of a busy restaurant, we had to wait until the Christmas parties were over before we could start our practices.  Fortunately, I'd been off the booze so I didn't have a New Year hangover to contend with and we kicked off with our first run through on January 2nd.  The first few were decent enough but not surprisingly we didn't have people queuing up to taste our dishes during the first few days of January!  However, on January 6th at Compass House, Nestlé Professional and Electrolux Professional sponsored a tasting hosted by Brian Turner. It was tricky being in a different kitchen without our normal equipment but everyone seemed happy with the results which was a relief.  One guest, Danny Pecorelli, from Exclusive Hotels also made a very generous donation to the fund which we're very grateful for.

Last week was even more nerve-wracking, we were back in Torquay so it was easier from a practical perspective, but we had some well respected chefs coming in for tastings almost every day.  On Thursday, Fresh RM were here with the lovely ladies from Caterersearch.com, for its sponsored Chef Eats Out at The Elephant.  Brian Turner and John Williams both hosted and gave an introduction to what the Bocuse d'Or is all about.  Brian has been to every Bocuse d'Or final since 1987 so there's no one better to bring it to life.  Once the run through was over the ladies also set up a photoshoot, which was something else.  You'll see what I mean when you see the cover of this week's issue.  And they say never work with animals or children!  

On Friday, we had more great chefs down to try out the menu with Mark and Lucy Morris (The Staff Canteen).  All the feedback we've received so far has been really positive so we just need to keep practising and hope that everything goes to plan on the 26th.

My darling daughters have stolen the show at all the run-throughs - they are very excited about their daddy being in a big contest and will be coming out to Lyon with Katy. They'll probably get more attention than I will but at least it will leave me to focus on the cooking!

I want to thank everyone who has made it down to Torquay this year, I appreciate that it's been quite a trek for most of you but I really appreciate you making the journey and your constructive feedback.  It also means that our food gets eaten which is better for my conscience too.

And finally, I know that many of you are heading out to support us in Lyon which is fantastic and I'm looking forward to seeing you there.

As captain of the English Culinary Team, I spent a week out in Luxembourg at the Culinary World Cup - we won a gold in the hot kitchen, silver for our team buffet and came 8th out of 29 countries, so not a bad performance!  I also used the opportunity to check out the competition and came back eager to put some new concepts into practise for my Bocuse d'Or dishes. 

Whilst in Luxembourg we found out that we'll be competing on the second day of the Bocuse d'Or - which is great.  For those of you planning to come to the finals - get yourselves there on the morning of January 26th - the announcements will take place at about 6pm.

Christmas came early for The Elephant, with the arrival of 30 kg of Foie Gras delivered by Rougie, big thanks to them for their very generous support.

Jordan and I had our first run through last week, it was a good start and helped us to work out what's feasible and what isn't.  We made the most of the brasserie being quiet due to the bad weather because over the next few weeks we'll be too busy with Christmas parties and to do another run through.  Fortunately, The Elephant will be closed in January which means that we can use the whole month to rehearse.

To give you an idea of what we're up against, the US candidate plans to do at least eighty rehearsals before Lyon - we'll be lucky if we manage 20.  Still, with less than seven weeks to go, we're in a better position than we were in 2009.  We might not get around to 80 rehearsals but we have a lot of people backing us and I'm sure that UK supporters will make their presence felt in Lyon! 

Apart from a few hours sleep in a range of hotel beds, last week was non-stop.

It kicked off in Scotland, with a night in the beautiful Monachyl Mohr.  We (myself, Jordan, Amanda and Michelle) were hosted by Laurent Vernet, from Scotch Lamb and joined after dinner by butcher, chef, farmer and all round entrepreneur, Tom Lewis.  Tom is passionate about local produce and helped me get up to speed with some of the tastiest breeds of Scotch lamb.

I left for Scotland with some clear ideas for my Bocuse d'Or dishes but I went prepared for these to be critiqued and changed.  An hour spent with Jonathon Honeyman the next morning was certainly useful in terms of identifying a few new ideas for the lamb.  Next step a farm, where we came face to face with the hardy Scotch Lamb - it was damn cold and Jordan did a great impression of Rudolph.  Andrew Morton, the farmer, was a lovely guy although I certainly don't envy him his job!  There were plenty of photos being taken of us with the sheep and we squeezed in an interview with BBC Scotland up on the moors.

Lunch and a couple of hours with Andrew Fairlie was next on the agenda, I felt privileged to have his feedback on my dishes and I really appreciate what he said about me and my chances.

I don't want to give too much away but it was invaluable spending time with Laurent too - he could win Mastermind if his specialist field was Scotch Beef and Lamb!

We were collected from Gleneagles by Sarah and Nicki from Seafood Scotland and taken on a four hour trip up to the Buchan Braes in Peterhead.  It wasn't a late night as we needed to be at the fish market by 7am the next morning.  What a fish market it was too - I was so impressed by its scale and variety of the fish there. 

It was also great to see some pretty big cod - a sure sign that the quotas and restricted fishing areas are having an effect.  We then stopped off at a Langoustine processing plant where we just about managed to catch the end of the packing.  They start very early there.

Another highlight for me was stepping onto William Reid's boat, Will pioneered frozen at sea and is responsible for bringing back tonnes of langoustine which really is as fresh as it can be.  It was fascinating to see how the fisherman live on this deceptively large vessel but hard to comprehend what it must be like in rough seas!

We ate at the award winning Ashvale restaurant before we headed back to the airport, we joked about how many chippies claim to be the best in the UK but I have to admit these were great fish and chips.

On Thursday, it was time for another Golf Course, this time the Celtic Manor where I headed up the English Culinary Team in preparing a pre-CESA conference dinner in a bid to raise funds for the Bocuse d'Or.  Whilst we were in the kitchen for most of it, we had some great feedback on the food and the auction hosted by Brian Turner raised more than £17K. 

On behalf of Team UK I would like to thank everyone who came to the dinner and those who bid so generously.  I'd also like to express our appreciation towards Baxter Storey and Hobart who have both recently donated significant sums.  We've also had enquiries from companies offering equipment and ingredients which is great.

Fantastic to have the support of the media too - it really feels like people are getting behind us!

It's been another busy few weeks as I get closer to determining what my dishes are going to be about.  I recently went to a workshop with a view to arming myself with the knowledge and capability to weave some magic into my dishes.  Truth be told, I learnt more from my fellow chefs than I did the trainers, mind when you're talking about the likes of Sat Bains, Jason Atherton, Simon Rogan and Daniel Clifford it's hard not to be inspired.  It was a great mix of culinary styles too which is always good from a creative perspective.

With just 12 weeks to the final, I'm really beginning to feel the pressure so it's great when people like 'Simon the Butcher' from Aubrey Allen offer their expertise.  Aubrey Allen and Scotch Lamb have kindly donated all the lamb for my practices and Simon (the Butcher) has come up with some great ideas too.  I put in my order with Seafood Scotland yesterday, as official sponsors of the Bocuse d'Or they'll be providing me with all the monkfish and langoustines that I need between now and January.

I'm really delighted with all the messages of support and the signatures on the petition, it's great to have the backing of some fantastic chefs and also to see some of the restaurant critics doing their bit.... thanks to Marina O'Loughlin and Richard Vines for their recent retweets. 

Speaking of which, Bocuse d'Or Team UK is now organising a series of practice sessions which will take place at The Elephant in January.  We've already had some enquiries from those keen to support us and we're now trying to fix some dates.  If you'd like to come along to one of these sessions, please contact Michelle Diederichs on 07814 028 664 or email bocusedor@academyofculinaryarts.org.uk

Next week it's off to Scotland to get to know the produce at every stage of the process.  The trip has been organised by Scotch Lamb and Seafood Scotland and as well as trips to the farms and fish markets I'm booked in for a session with Andrew Fairlie - I can't wait. 

That's how I would summarise my feelings this week.  It started off at the Restaurant Show with the legend that is Albert Roux helping Team UK to launch a petition to raise more support. What followed was really quite humbling for me as some of Britain's best chefs pledged to support me and the team out in Lyon.  The list is growing and you can see who has signed up by clicking here:  http://bocusedor.thestaffcanteen.com/view-the-petition/

I'd like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who has signed up so far!  I am truly honoured to have your support!

Monday afternoon saw me judging the National Chef of the Year finals, which was a mixed experience as it meant handing over my title to someone else.  The evening was a highlight as Team Elephant jumped 58 places to be awarded 41st position in the National Restaurant Awards.  It was a great night.

However, celebrations were cut short as we needed to be back in Earls Court at 7am to get service prepared for our Signature Restaurant, a joint effort with Westminster Kingsway College.  Working in a new kitchen is always a challenge but serving 277 covers with a brigade of chefs and front of house staff who 'd never worked with before, certainly kept us on our toes!

I spent Thursday with some fantastic chefs, Ashley Palmer Watts (who has been a great help throughout my preparations so far), Alain Roux, Gary Jones and Benoit Blin.  It was a nerve-wracking experience as I took them through my ideas so far and literally opened myself up for criticism.  It wasn't easy but there was plenty of useful feedback.  However, I also need to take into account that, talented as these chefs are, none of them have competed at the Bocuse d'Or before and I need to balance their expertise with my experience.

The poster competition should go live this week... check out the website www.bocusedoruk.co.uk for more information.

The chefs cast a critical eye over my presentations.  It's too early to share this with the world so the dish has been blurred.

Last week I ran through my diary and scared myself, not only do I have my Bocuse d'Or commitments but as co-captain of the English National Culinary Team I'm also involved in all the preparations for the Culinary World Cup in November.

However, week by week, we (Jordan, Nick and I) are getting that bit closer to what we'll be producing in Lyon next January - and having fun in the process.  On Thursday, I had a great session with Ashley Palmer Watts, a culinary genius and the head chef at The Fat Duck.  Ashley first got involved in March when Aubrey Allen set up a chef round table at the Hind's Head, Ashley, Sat Bains and Glyn Purnell all gave me some invaluable feedback which I know helped me to deliver in Geneva.

Ashley is an amazing chef, innovative, creative with a knack for taste and texture.  The focus of our meeting was lamb and I have to admit that I was taken aback by what he came up with, I would never of thought of doing something like that but it really worked. What Ashley created will slot perfectly into what I've been working on and I'm now feeling more confident about the textures and flavours.  There's still a very long way to go but every little helps!

In the coming weeks we want to get together again when I will prepare my fish and meat platters for Ashley and hopefully Alain Roux.  It's inspiring working with such talent and I appreciate any time that any multi-starred chef can devote to helping me.

Outside of the kitchen, we've been working on the props for our campaign poster.  The style will be very British and involved a special request out to a trawler not to cut off the head of our fish.  We want the poster to show the rest of the world that Team UK is serious and well and truly on the road to Lyon. We'll be posting up some of the shots on our website www.bocusedoruk.co.uk

For the first time, there is a competition for people to vote for their favourite Bocuse d'Or poster - another way to support Team UK.  I'll post up the link and the poster as soon as it's ready!

Our performance at the European Heats in Geneva this June proved that we're doing something right and it's given us a great platform to start our preparations for the final in Lyon. It was a fantastic event and I can't thank the supporters enough - they really made a difference on the day!

Anyone who knows me appreciates how competitive I am and there's no greater competition than the Bocuse d'Or. Being the British candidate is one of the greatest privileges a chef can have and I take my duty very seriously. 

Since the European heats in Geneva, The Elephant has been incredibly busy, which is fantastic in business terms, however, it has meant that I've had no time to relax or to reflect on my Bocuse d'Or platters.  In some countries, the candidate is given leave from their workplace in order to focus 100% on their preparations.  Unfortunately, this has never been an option for the British candidate.

Not that I'm complaining - I'm determined to make Britain proud again when we're out in Lyon.  I'm now thinking about my ingredients and what kind of 'seasonal' produce will be available at the time of the Bocuse d'Or final.  It takes takes place in January so not the best month for veg!

Welcome to my dedicated blog on my journey to final of the Bocuse d'Or.

On 25 January, 2011, I will represent the UK in the Bocuse d'Or, the world's most prestigious culinary contest.

I will compete against 23 celebrated chefs from Europe, Asia, Australia and the USA in what is undoubtedly one of the world's most challenging culinary competitions.

I will be supported by my commis chef, Jordan Bailey, who was a novice in international competitions prior to the European heats in Geneva.  I will also be joined by my coach, the multi-award winning chef, Nick Vadis, UK executive chef of Compass Group, and UK judge and president Brian Turner.

Over the coming weeks, I will share my experiences, expertises and concerns we head closer to the world final in Lyon.