In Milan, KACHEN met Théo Kopp, the candidate who took part in the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy world final for Luxembourg and the “West Europe” group on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 October 2025. Here are his reactions from Tuesday morning, right after appearing before the jury, alongside his mentor, two-star chef Cyril Molard from Ma Langue Sourit. Ardy Ferguson, the candidate from the “Asia” group, won the competition on Wednesday night.
How did you feel during Tuesday morning’s round, when you presented your dish “Potée lorraine, Picon and mirabelle”?
Théo KOPP: “I wouldn’t say I was stressed, but I did feel good pressure. I was excited, eager to get started and to present this dish that’s very dear to me. I was full of motivation. I had a few small issues during the process, a few steps I had to redo, but nothing major.”
“Everything turned out just as I wanted – even better, actually. I’d trained a lot on this dish, and I think it was the best version I’ve ever made. I was really happy with the timing; I managed to take my time with everything.”
“What I wanted today wasn’t necessarily to be better than the others, but better than myself. Because being better than others, when the dishes are all so different, doesn’t always make sense. Today I fought myself – and at that level, I won.”
The oral presentation of your dish was also a key part of the final. What kind of questions did the jury ask you?
Théo KOPP: “They asked fairly straightforward questions, and I could answer on the spot. The mirabelle plum in my dish is a very seasonal product. They asked what I would do if it wasn’t in season. And in fact, it isn’t at the moment, so I worked with preserved, fermented fruit. We were allowed to bring all kinds of fermented products, so back in August, during mirabelle season, I prepared everything for long-term preservation to be able to use it today.”
“It was the same with the kimchi – it’s a product I really love. I’m a big fan of umami flavours and Japanese-style cuisine. I often cook with cabbage. Kimchi is Korean, but cabbage fermentation is common all across Asia. And when you think about it, in the Grand Est, sauerkraut is also a kind of kimchi – it’s fermented cabbage. So it felt quite natural to include that.”
How important is terroir in your work?
Théo KOPP: “It’s the most important thing. People often ask me what my cooking style is. I’m someone who has travelled a lot, and I love cooking locally and seasonally.
That works perfectly for me because when I travel, I can adapt to my surroundings. Wherever I go, I cook with what’s around me. Cooking brings people together – it’s more than food, it’s energy, a pure form of love and expression. I’ve visited many countries that are ‘poorer than Europe’, less consumption-driven. These are places where people are proud of their products, help each other, and create genuine synergies.”
Do you enjoy exploring other cuisines from around the world?
Théo KOPP: “I’ve explored quite a few. French cuisine, of course, since I’m French [from Metz, editor’s note], but also German cuisine since I live very close to the border. My girlfriend is Italian, so I’ve done a lot of Italian cooking – which shares many similarities with French cuisine, especially in its simplicity and product focus. I’m very influenced by Japanese and Asian cuisine more broadly – I love umami, bold flavours, and fermentation.
I also spent time in South America and was deeply inspired by Peru and Colombia, by the richness of their produce. I even lived on Réunion Island for six months, where you find fruits and vegetables from all over the world – everything grows there!”
“I love discovering different cuisines like that, and when I need to, I adapt techniques and flavours to the ingredients I have around me. That’s exactly what I did today with my dish. Many of the techniques and elements I use come from elsewhere, but I’ve brought them home to Lorraine.”
What did you think of the 14 other competitors’ dishes from around the world?
Théo KOPP: “The level was absolutely stratospheric – really impressive. Such incredible diversity! And since we didn’t have a common theme or ingredient, everything was completely different.
I’m glad I wasn’t in the jury’s place, because I honestly don’t know how they’ll decide. Everything was of such high quality, everything looked delicious, and there were so many beautiful ideas. It was truly a pleasure to meet and share with people so passionate about their craft.”
Do you think there should be a stronger focus on plant-based cuisine?
Théo KOPP: “The world of haute cuisine is still very attached to [animal] proteins, even though there are now restaurants like René Mathieu’s in Luxembourg, which has been named the best plant-based restaurant in the world. Personally, I no longer cook or eat meat at home, though I still work with it a lot professionally.”
“I see incredible diversity in plant-based cooking. I draw a lot of inspiration from the Middle East, from Indian, African and South American cuisines. You can do so much with plants alone – there’s such a wealth of flavours in vegetables. In the end, meat is almost always accompanied by vegetables; it’s rare to cook a protein entirely on its own. The trend is reversing, and that inspires me a lot.”
“And that’s true even though I chose to make Potée lorraine today – a dish deeply rooted in pork – but not only. My pork comes from Guy Kirsch in Luxembourg; it’s the element that elevates the dish. But the core ingredients of the potée – cabbage, carrot, onion and potato – those never change.”
