Each team of eight students had to create a table for a unique tête-à-tête dining experience. The tables were judged on how well they inspired the public to discover the cultural and imaginary universe of a capital city, while at the same time expressing a holiday or festive occasion.

The jury, chaired by designer Alain Vavro, gave three awards to the most attractive tables. First price went to the Beijing table, which celebrated the stars of China. Conceived in an aerial ambiance, yin and yang were also expressed through the purity of the materials employed, resulting in a delicate and meaningful representation of table arts. The creativity prize went to the Moscow table, a giant Babushka doll that opens into a wonderfully luminous table. The professional prize was given to the Romance in Paris table, an amazing structure atop the Eiffel Tower, accompanied by hurdy gurdy for a musical ambiance. the jury also awarded a special prize for the Tokyo table, which expressed Japan’s unique combination of faithfulness to ancestral tradition and resolute modernity.

The competition gave students an opportunity to express their creativity while imparting a strong sense of how to find concepts that are technically and professionally feasible. Students were also able to share their interest in cities whose spirit and sensitivity were expressed with tact, refinement and precision. The tables feature a pure sobriety, demonstrating the students’ combination of exacting professionalism and creativity. They were able to bring these remarkable creations to fruition in a very short timeframe thanks to effective teamwork. The jury lauded the astonishing sense of maturity behind these highly inventive tables signed by first-year students.

The eight creations were exhibited in the experimental restaurant at the Institut Paul Bocuse Research Center.