After months of preparation, the Chilean team will compete on July 26 in New Orleans in the Bocuse d’Or Americas, a culinary competition that brings together the continent’s best teams and awards five spots in the Grand Final of the world’s most prestigious culinary competition. The team, led by Chef Jorge Diez, will seek to qualify for the seventh consecutive time for the world championship, which will be held in Lyon, France, in 2027.
Composed of talented young chefs trained at INACAP, the national team will present a menu inspired by the skies of northern Chile, designed to express the country’s identity through a culinary journey that combines seafood, local ingredients, and traditional techniques.
“We want our concept to clearly and directly convey the essence of Chile. That’s why we decided to build the entire narrative around the observation of our skies, where the Norte Chico region is the undisputed star. Based on that concept, we began designing a gastronomic journey that starts at sea and harmoniously connects with our land-based ingredients and traditional techniques,” explained Chef Diez, who leads the team after winning the national competition organized by the Chilean Gastronomy Association (ACHIGA).
A Steady Track Record
Since 2015, Chile has maintained an uninterrupted presence at this prestigious culinary competition, consolidating a sustained track record of high performance abroad. Over the past five years, this global standing has been driven by the consecutive placements of chefs Luis Ubeira (2021), Ari Zúñiga (2023), and Roberto Vallejos (2025)—milestones that reflect the technical strength of Chilean cuisine on one of the world’s most demanding stages.
“This is the result of a joint, multidisciplinary effort that revives our culinary identity, showcases our gastronomy, and establishes Chile as a world-class tourist destination,” said Sebastián Salas, president of the Bocuse d’Or Chile team, who also highlighted the competition’s importance for the industry’s international standing.
“The event brings together the best athletes from all five continents, placing us in a highly competitive setting where we compete directly against the best and where each country brings out its full potential.”
The New Generation of Talent
The Bocuse d’Or has also established itself as a platform for promoting the next generation of chefs. In this edition, the Chilean team is sponsored by INACAP as its main sponsor and will set a milestone by fielding a delegation composed exclusively of talents trained at that institution.
That commitment to developing new professionals is reflected in the competition, where Nicolás Fernández, Benjamín Morales, and Lucas Poblete will take on the demanding role of commis (assistants), contributing to the generational transition and the strengthening of Chilean gastronomy on one of the world’s most important culinary stages.
“Chile has a wealth of talent, great culinary diversity, and truly unique ingredients. In addition, we have been gradually incorporating technology, which places us among the world’s best, and the fact that the team on this occasion is made up exclusively of Inacap students is a great source of pride and joy for technical and vocational education,” said Lucas Palacios, the university’s president.
Thus, the main team consists of Jorge Diez, an instructor at Inacap Apoquindo, as the contestant; Nicolás Fernández, as the commis; and Daniel Olejnik, as the coach. Chef Luis Ubeira will serve as the judge representing Chile during the competition.
