Bocuse d'Or Team USA's 2015 Goal: Bring Home The World Championship

We do this funny thing where we have national championships, then dub the winner the "World Champion." In baseball they call it the "World Series," but when was a team outside of the U.S. even invited to play? Toronto doesn't count.

But the Bocuse d'Or is a real deal world championship, with 24 countries going toe-to-toe in a global culinary challenge that makes Iron Chef look like a talent show. Team USA has yet to crack the top 5, placing 6th in '03 and '09, but could care less about the top 5 this time around: they want to win it all. Last night, the 2015 team was introduced at Williams-Sonoma in New York's Columbus Circle by Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud, two legendary chefs on the Team USA board of directors. The team features Chef Philip Tessier and Commis Skylar Stover of the French Laundry, who made it clear they fully plan on standing atop the podium in Lyon.

Chef Tessier shared a few details of his master plan — they'll be training for a full year with renowned chefs Grant Achatz and Gavin Kaysen. Suffice it to say, the coaches should have no trouble inspiring their team to push their skills further than ever. First, instead of focusing on a list of don'ts, they'll analyze at what was done well in past years and expand on those ideas that were well-received. Instead of focusing solely on technique, they plan to focus more on enhancing the flavor profiles of each platter. We've seen them compete admirably before, but we have a good feeling about 2015 and it's time to start the countdown.

America makes us proud at the regular Olympics. Now it's time to bring home the gold (bacon?) at the culinary equivalent.

Check out our coverage of the 2013 Bocuse d'Or on Food Republic: