For the first time in history, Romania joins the global Bocuse d’Or circuit, the symbol of international culinary excellence. Five teams of professional chefs will compete on November 27, 2025, in the Bocuse d’Or Romania National Selection, the competition that will determine the single team representing our country at Bocuse d’Or Europe 2026, in Marseille.

The finalists are Romanian chefs with impressive track records in international competitions. Through their unique styles and professional journeys, each represents a generation of culinary professionals bringing Romanian gastronomy closer to excellence in the culinary arts.

What defines “the perfect team” at Bocuse d’Or

Each team consists of a Chef, a professional Romanian cook with proven experience in culinary competitions, responsible for concept and execution; a Commis, a young chef born after January 24, 2004, representing the new generation; and a Coach, a professional responsible for strategic coordination and communication with the jury, without direct involvement in cooking. All three roles are mandatory and remain unchanged throughout the competition, from the national stage to the European and World Finals.

"The teams selected for Romania’s national Bocuse d’Or selection come from kitchens across the country and from top international restaurants. They embody discipline, teamwork, and respect for taste. This first Bocuse edition represents a generation that has grown through competitions, hard work, and pride in taking Romanian gastronomy where it truly belongs" – says Chef Cezar Munteanu, President of ANBCT and official organizer of the event.

Bocuse d’Or Romania 2025 Finalist Teams:

• Chef Vasilică-Marinică Bejenaru
• Coach Liviu Preda
• Commis Andrei Fabian Lupoi

Chef Vasilică Bejenaru, silver and bronze medalist at the IKA Culinary Olympics 2024, winner of Arena Bucătarilor and laureate at GastroPan, is guided by Coach Liviu Preda, with over 30 years of experience and multiple international distinctions, including medals at the World Gastronomy Salon and Global Chef Challenge. Their Commis, Lupoi Fabian Andrei, student at Maria Baiulescu Technological High School in Brașov and kitchen assistant at Restaurant Belvedere, brings the enthusiasm and discipline of the new culinary generation.

• Chef Bogdan Cozma
• Coach Dadiana Munteanu
• Commis Andrei Nicolae Miron

Chef Bogdan Cozma’s team brings together the experience and innovation of two culinary generations. Chef Cozma is a medalist at the IKA Culinary Olympics (3rd place), Villeroy & Boch World Cup (3rd place), and coach of the Romanian Junior National Team, double bronze medalist worldwide. The team is coordinated by Coach Dadiana Munteanu, double bronze medalist at IKA 2024 and silver at Global Young Chefs Challenge 2023. Their Commis, Andrei Nicolae Miron, Head Chef at D.A.R Events Restaurant & Barn (Botoșani), has over five years of experience and international distinctions: gold at the Croatian Culinary Cup 2025, silver at Rimini Vegan Chef 2025, and bronze at IKA Culinary Olympics 2024 (junior team).

• Chef Emanuel Mocan
• Coach Dragoș Bercea
• Commis Alexia Stan

Chef Emanuel Mocan, winner of Arena Bucătarilor 2017, Les Chefs en Or Paris (1st place junior, 3rd place senior), silver medalist at Global Chef 2023 and double silver at IKA 2024, leads a team that embodies performance and culinary vision at the highest level. He is guided by Dragoș Bercea, multiple international medalist, including two silver medals at the IKA Culinary Olympics 2024. Their Commis, Alexia Stan, graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University in Culinary Business Management and currently Sous Chef at One Soul Brașov, brings international experience from Cyprus and awards in young chef competitions such as Junior Chef’s Arena.

• Chef Laurențiu Neamțu
• Coach Daniel Nistor
• Commis Mihai Pușcalău

Chef Laurențiu Neamțu combines contemporary fine dining with the competitive spirit of the new generation. With experience in Michelin-starred restaurants and as a finalist on Chefi la Cuțite, he proposes a refined, balanced, and modern approach to gastronomy. His Coach, Daniel Nistor, is a double silver medalist at IKA 2024, bronze at IKA 2020, and multiple laureate of GastroPan and Arena Bucătarilor. Their Commis, Mihai Pușcalău, the youngest competitor, is a first-year student at American Hotel Academy Brașov, passionate about gastronomy and perfecting culinary techniques, with the ambition of becoming a Michelin-starred chef.

• Chef Mihai Ciprian Necula
• Coach Cristian George Mihali
• Commis Andra Maria Huțanu

Chef Mihai Ciprian Necula’s team brings together international discipline and passion for Mediterranean cuisine. With over 25 years of international experience and training in Italy and Germany, he participated in IKA 2024 and promotes a culinary style defined by simplicity, balance, and refinement. Coach Cristian George Mihali, a Romanian chef based in France, has experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, is included in the Top 100 Romanians Abroad (2024), a member of the International Association of Disciples of Auguste Escoffier, and an active promoter of Romanian gastronomy within the diaspora. Their Commis, Andra Maria Huțanu, is still a student at the Technological Economic High School of Tourism in Iași and a kitchen assistant at Hotel Unirea Iași – a dedicated, self-taught young professional at the beginning of her culinary journey.

A step forward for Romanian gastronomy

The Bocuse d’Or Romania National Selection marks an important milestone for Romanian gastronomy and confirms the ambition of a new generation of professionals striving to meet global standards. On November 27, 2025, the five finalist teams will compete in a six-hour test, at the end of which the jury will decide who will represent Romania at Bocuse d’Or Europe 2026 in Marseille.

This year’s competition carries historic significance: it is the first time since 1987 that Romania officially joins the Bocuse d’Or circuit. The evaluation will be carried out by an international jury of renowned chefs, acknowledging the excellence of Romanian cuisine on the world stage.

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About the Bocuse d’Or competition

Regarded as the most prestigious culinary competition in the world, the Bocuse d’Or brings together every two years the planet’s most talented chefs in a grand showcase of culinary excellence. Founded in 1987 by the legendary Chef Paul Bocuse, the competition has, over nearly four decades, gathered participants from more than 70 countries, while only 52 chefs have ever claimed the ultimate title – making it a true benchmark of global culinary perfection.

The Bocuse d’Or Europe 2026 edition will take place in Marseille, as part of Sirha Méditerranée. This special edition will create a genuine ecosystem of global gastronomy, where professionals, producers, cooking enthusiasts, and emerging talents meet in one place. For a few days, Marseille will become the world’s culinary capital, offering a spectacular stage for the 20 European candidates to present their vision of contemporary haute cuisine.

About ANBCT

The National Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs in Tourism (ANBCT) is Romania’s oldest professional organization for chefs and pastry chefs. For over 50 years, ANBCT has supported the professional development of its members, promoted Romanian gastronomy, and facilitated national teams’ participation in prestigious culinary competitions around the world. ANBCT is part of Worldchefs, the largest global network of professional chefs.

Under the leadership of Chef Cezar Munteanu, the association has entered a new stage of modernization and international visibility through ongoing regional meetings and national educational projects. The Romanian National Culinary Team continues to represent the country at top-level competitions, with recent achievements at IKA Culinary Olympics 2024, Global Chefs Challenge 2024, Worldchefs European Grand Prix Rimini 2025, and Croatian Culinary Cup 2025.

For more information, visit www.anbct.ro or follow ANBCT on social media: facebook.com/anbct1971 | instagram.com/anbct.romania

*This is a press release.