French chef takes honor, $26,000 prize

A Frenchman who usually cooks for the French Senate took the top prize of $26,000 at the Bocuse d'Or competition Wednesday for transforming halibut, crab and chicken into a mouthwatering delicacy.

A Dane placed second and a Swiss chef took third place at the contest, in which two dozen chefs from around the world test their skills over 5 1/2 hours, all working with the same basic ingredients.

Fabrice Desvignes, 33, the No. 2 chef for the French Senate, became the sixth French cook to win the competition, held every two years in this city in southeastern France _ home of famed chef Paul Bocuse.

Danish chef Rasmus Kofoed placed second for a second consecutive year. Chefs from Scandinavia have won high praise at the contest, taking one of the prizes each year since the contest began in 1987. Franck Giovannini of Switzerland placed third this year.

The contest was started by Bocuse to reward young international talents. This year, the competition also drew chefs from the United States, China, South Africa and Russia. The U.S. was represented by Gavin Kaysen of the Restaurant El Bizcocho in San Diego, Calif.

The international jury was headed this year by the 2005 laureate, French chef Serge Viera.