Ismo Sipeläinen = The Hunter

Bocuse d’Or is a cooking competition like no other. It is a ruthless sports event where the intense competition performance lasts for 5.5 hours, and the entire competition takes 8.5 hours. The team must perform perfectly on that day. In the training season building up to the main event, all missteps are ironed out, and time is used to maximum effect. All members of the team have their own choreography in the competition kitchen, and the steps are so finely tuned that they fit perfectly together. “Ideally, the team doesn’t even have to talk throughout the day,” says Ismo Sipeläinen, the candidate for Team Finland at the 2024–2025 Bocuse d’Or.

Sipeläinen intends to lead the Finnish team purposefully towards the European qualifications in Trondheim. “There is a certain attitude involved, I can promise, but I don’t think beyond that. We will perform at our best in Trondheim and see where it takes us.”

Sipeläinen is no rookie in Bocuse d’Or circles. He has been Team Finland’s candidate once before. Why does he want to throw himself into the cauldron of the world’s most demanding cooking competition over and over? “Competing has become a job for me, and working is a hobby. I work so that I can advance towards the next competition,” he replies. Competing forces him to repeatedly step out of his comfort zone, but it also holds a professional significance. “Of course, it feels good to receive recognition – it’s the same as a Michelin star for a restaurant.”

So far, the best placement for Finland and Sipeläinen in the Bocuse d’Or is fourth position. The hunger for victory persists. “Once you start competing, you want to see it through until you reach your goal. I haven’t yet achieved that in the Bocuse d’Or. Now, I am aiming for the best placement ever for myself and Finland.”

Sipeläinen sees the Bocuse d’Or as an individual competition where the candidate must stand by their decisions until the very end. “It’s the heaviest aspect of the whole thing and perhaps also why it’s not for everyone. It requires mental strength if the style of the menu turns out to be the wrong choice on the competition day. It would be a pretty terrible feeling to realize that the whole team has been doing the wrong things for five months because of a single decision I made.”

“Walking in nature is a form of meditation. The forest is my therapy room.”

The pre-competition nerves don’t get to Sipeläinen – he’s accustomed to the pressure. “For me, it always follows a rule of three. The first bout of uncertainty hits three months before the competition, three weeks before, and finally, three days before the competition. I haven’t formed any pre-routines for myself, and there’s no magic wand in my toolbox. I work with what I have.”

The most stressful phase before the competition is when irreversible decisions must be made. It creates a feeling of internal turmoil, and doubts seep in over the choices made so far. “I know I have to go through the same wrestling match in my head every time.”

At the time of the interview, Bocuse d’Or Team Finland is beginning a rigorous training period with its sights set on Trondheim. “We practice as much as necessary. I don’t count the hours because it’s pointless. Now, we have an all-or-nothing mentality. My attitude will likely lead to discussions within the team, but that is good: we won’t have to reconsider anything later.”

During the training season, there must be moments to clear the mind. “I don’t plan to shut out the rest of my life or barricade myself in the kitchen for months. Otherwise, I might realize at some point that I don’t have any friends left to call on.” Staring at an empty wall or engaging in odd conversations is enough to decompress. The dachshund Lysti also ensures that Sipeläinen leaves the kitchen. “Walking in nature is a form of meditation that clears my mind of unnecessary stimuli. The forest is my therapy room.”

Competition day in Trondheim

Sipeläinen knows that D-day in Trondheim will be filled with infernal noise, and he must focus solely on his own performance. “At that point, the kitchen is my entire world. Everything else must be shut out. Nothing can pull me out of my bubble, except perhaps a huge fire in the kitchen!”

On competition day, the team should be able to enjoy working in the kitchen. “We will find out in the morning whether the day will turn out that way. You don’t want to wake up in a lousy mood, that’s for sure.”

Sipeläinen is moving forward with anything but a lousy feeling. He has assembled a team of awesome people, coach Kristian Vuojärvi, and assistant Kaisa Laanemäe. “From Kristian, I expect systematic time management, and from Kaisa, I want determination and attitude. I know that together we will bring Finnish courage and new perspectives to Trondheim.”

Ismo Sipeläinen Hall of Fame

• Nordic Junior Chef of the Year 2013
• Bocuse d’Or Team Finland assistant 2014–2015
• Chef of the Year Finland 2015
• Bocuse d’Or Team Finland candidate 2018–2019
• Bocuse d’Or Team Finland candidate 2024–2025