#News • 5 August 2025

18 MICHELIN Stars on the Jury Panel for the International Chef Balfegó Semifinal in Paris

• Seven renowned chefs from different European countries will judge the 16 semifinalists of Chef Balfegó on September 8th at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris.

• This semifinal — the first to welcome chefs from all over Europe — will determine the eight finalists who will earn a place in the grand final, where they will join the four Spanish chefs who qualified directly.

Just over a month before the VIII edition of the Chef Balfegó semifinal, the full jury panel has been confirmed. This year, for the first time, the competition — considered the most important of its kind in Europe — has opened its doors to chefs from any European country, regardless of the location of their restaurant.

As a result, Paris will host the semifinal, where 16 chefs will prepare their best Balfegó bluefin tuna recipe in the hopes of securing one of the eight coveted spots in the grand final in Madrid, scheduled for October 27th. The following chefs will form this year’s distinguished jury:

Christopher Coutanceau – Head Chef at Restaurant Christopher Coutanceau** (La Rochelle, France), was born and raised in La Rochelle, fishing with his grandfather André and cooking with his grandmother Guiguitte. He trained with some of the greatest culinary masters, including Michel Guérard (Eugénie-les-Bains), Ferran Adrià (El Bulli), and Joël Robuchon (Le Laurent, Paris). He opened his own restaurant in La Rochelle in 2000 alongside his father, and since 2007, he has been running it with Nicolas Brossard.

A strong advocate of sustainable artisanal fishing that protects marine resources, Christopher Coutanceau has turned his ecological convictions into the foundation of a refined, sea-inspired cuisine that draws daily from the treasures of the La Rochelle fish market.

Paolo Casagrande – Head Chef at Lasarte Restaurant** (Barcelona, Spain), was born in Susegana (Treviso, Italy) and trained at the Alfredo Beltrame Hospitality School in Vittorio Veneto. He worked in fine-dining restaurants in Milan, London, and Paris, under renowned chefs such as Alain Solivérès. In 2003, he joined the team at Martín Berasategui Restaurant** (Lasarte-Oria). In 2005, Berasategui appointed him head of M.B. at The Ritz-Carlton Abama**(Tenerife), where they earned their first MICHELIN Star.

In 2012, Casagrande became Executive Chef at Lasarte Restaurant** in Barcelona. Four years later, in 2017, the restaurant was awarded its third MICHELIN Star. He has served as a jury member for Chef Balfegó in both Spain and Italy across several editions.

Heinz Reitbauer – Head Chef at Steirereck im Stadtpark** (Vienna, Austria), began his culinary journey in 1970 at the original Steirereck in Vienna, founded by his parents. He later trained with top chefs including the Obauer brothers (Werfen), Joël Robuchon, Alain Chapel, and Anton Mossimann. In 1996, his parents opened a new establishment, where Heinz took over the kitchen. In 1999, he was named Austria’s top chef at Steirereck im Pogusch.

The restaurant’s move to Vienna propelled it to new heights, eventually earning its three MICHELIN Stars.

Viki Geunes – Head Chef at Zilte Restaurant** (Antwerp, Belgium), began as a self-taught chef and opened ‘`t Zilte’ in 1996 with his wife Viviane Plaquet in Mol (Belgium). The first MICHELIN Star came in 2004, and in 2005 Gault & Millau named him Best Young Chef in Belgium. In 2008, they earned a second Star, and Geunes was named Chef of the Year.

In 2011, the restaurant moved to the Museum aan de Stroom, offering panoramic views of the port and the Scheldt River. In 2020, it was renamed Zilte, and in 2021 it was awarded its third MICHELIN Star.

Daniel Schimkowitsch – Head Chef at L.A. Jordan Restaurant* (Deidesheim, Germany), earned his first MICHELIN Star in 2011 at the age of 26 at Tramin in Munich. In 2014, he moved to Deidesheim to open L.A. Jordan, where he retained the Star.

In 2019, Gault & Millau named him “Rising Star of the Year,” and in 2022 awarded him the title of “4 Red Toques.” In 2023, MICHELIN awarded him a second Star. Schimkowitsch’s cuisine is inspired by Japanese influences, which he interprets in a unique, personal style without imitation.

Rui Paula – Head Chef at Casa de Chá da Boa Nova* (Leça da Palmeira, Portugal), has focused throughout his career on developing his own restaurants while exploring various culinary traditions across Portugal and internationally. He opened his first restaurant, Cêpa Torta, over two decades ago.

In 2017, Casa de Chá da Boa Nova earned its first MICHELIN Star, followed by a second in 2019. Today, he oversees DOC in the Douro wine region, DOP in Porto’s historic center, and Casa de Chá da Boa Nova, a National Monument awarded two MICHELIN Stars.

Domenico Stile – Head Chef at Enoteca La Torre* (Rome, Italy), was born in 1989 in Gragnano. His culinary passion was sparked by his uncle, Chef Franco La Mura. He studied at the Institute of Hotel Management in Castellammare di Stabia and trained with top chefs such as Grant Achatz, Gianfranco Vissani, Enrico Crippa, Antonino Cannavacciuolo, Massimo Bottura, and Nino di Costanzo.

In 2016, he joined Enoteca La Torre at the luxurious Villa Laetitia in Rome. Seven months later, the restaurant received its first MICHELIN Star, and in 2022, its second. The restaurant also holds the prestigious “Three Forks” from Gambero Rosso and “Four Hats” from L’Espresso Guide.

Thus, a total of 18 MICHELIN Stars will gather at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris on the morning of September 8th to evaluate and score the aspiring chefs competing for the title of Chef Balfegó. The names of the semifinalists will be revealed in the coming days.