Biltmore Estate chef wins prestigious cooking competition, will represent US in Thailand
ASHEVILLE - An ambitious emerging chef eager to carve out his place in restaurant kitchens has catapulted his career to global heights in little more than a year.
In June, Roman Nourse, a 25-year-old Waynesville native, was named the National Champion of the prestigious international cooking competition, Jeunes Chefs R?tisseurs Competition, and will represent the U.S. in the world competition in Thailand in October 2025.
The live-cooking competition is a program hosted by the French-based Cha?ne des R?tisseurs, the world’s oldest and largest international gastronomy and wine society, founded in 1248 and revitalized in Paris in 1950.
“It was overwhelming for me. I’d never experienced anything like that, and it made me happy to see my work pay off,” Nourse said. “At the end of the competition, I know I left my heart, body and soul on the plate and in the kitchen.”
Nourse, Banquet Demi-chef at the Dining Room at The Inn on Biltmore Estate, defeated U.S. competitors in the Southeastern regional round in Atlanta in February and the national event, representing the South Central region, in Renton, Washington last month.
In July 2023, Nourse began working at Biltmore Estate, and has quickly proved himself to be an asset to the team.
"All of us at Biltmore are so proud of Roman and his remarkable achievement. We celebrate Roman’s win for its significance to his individual growth and see a bright future ahead,” Biltmore Senior Vice President, Guest Experience Meghan Noel said in an email.
“Having a national champion on our team validates our approach and inspires excellence in hospitality and the culinary arts. We congratulate Roman and the entire team on their hard work and passion,” she said.
Cream of the crop
The Jeunes Chefs R?tisseurs Competition is open to Cha?ne des R?tisseurs' more than 21,000 members worldwide in 74 countries who nominate mentors and/or employers ages 27 or younger as representatives.
For many years, Biltmore has been a professional member and has sent young chefs to compete, but this is the first time for the estate to cinch a win.
Nourse, a May 2023 graduate of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College's culinary arts program, said his training and experience as a member and team captain on the department’s competitive culinary team prepared him for the Jeunes Chefs R?tisseurs Competition.
Nourse helped lead the collegiate culinary team to victory as the team captain in the American Culinary Federation’s national competition for three years.
“A lot of the competition experience I got at A-B Tech allowed me to feel confident in the kitchen and to showcase the skills that I’ve learned,” Nourse said.
Nourse said his display of proper sanitation, safety, techniques, and his poise in the kitchen set him apart from other Jeunes Chefs R?tisseurs competitors.
Noel said association with organizations like the Cha?ne, Biltmore’s culinary apprenticeship program with A-B Tech, mentorship opportunities with the estate’s seasoned culinary experts, and its agriculture program and exposure to diverse cuisines and techniques fosters an environment in which employees can reach new heights.
Still, there’s much for Nourse to do and learn before arriving in Thailand.
Sharpening the culinary chops
In the national competition, Nourse had to write a menu within 30 minutes, and then had three hours to cook. The final three minutes were reserved for plating the meal and presenting it to the judges.
Judges tasted and considered how competitors planned, prepared, and plated the three courses ― appetizer, entrée and a dessert ― within a specific timeframe using a mystery basket of ingredients and a stocked pantry of basic staples and spices.
Nourse said for the national competition, his mystery basket featured a rainbow trout, which he used for the appetizer.
“I’m no stranger to rainbow trout being from Western North Carolina and going to A-B Tech,” Nourse said. “It’s one of the required fish to butcher and break down in order to showcase our skills of fileting the fish, so when I saw it, I was very happy.”
Before the event, Nourse explored the host city, Seattle, and visited Pike Place Market where a vendor introduced him to sea beans, or sea asparagus. Nourse likened it to a “salty, skinny green bean.”
Nourse said he tasted it and was advised how to prepare it.
Later, Nourse saw it was one of the mystery ingredients.
“It only boosted my confidence in the competition,” he said.
High-intensity training
Before jetting off to Thailand, Nourse has a lot of training planned to prepare for the competing chefs from the participating countries, even with the next event more than a year out.
The international competition will have a similar format as the prior events but is expected to be at a greater intensity.
To prepare for the international competition, Nourse and Biltmore’s Resort Executive Chef Brian will visit local Asian markets so Nourse can learn more about the regional ingredients that he may be presented with in Thailand.
Nourse said he will train with culinary professionals and instructors, including local restaurant chefs and members of the local chapter of American Culinary Federation, to practice preparing mystery basket meals, refine techniques and get critiques.
“The Jeunes Chefs R?tisseurs Competition is renowned for its rigorous standards and showcases some of the best emerging culinary talent from around the world,” Anderson said in an email. “Roman’s national win is a testament to consistently delivering the highest standards of hospitality. It represents Roman’s exceptional talent, dedication, and passion for the industry.”
Anderson said Biltmore creates a supportive and innovative culture in the estate’s kitchens where staff is equipped with skills and creativity needed to excel in their careers.
“We are lucky to have Roman at Biltmore, take immense pride in his accomplishment, and look forward to continuing to support the next generation of culinary leaders,” Anderson said.
Chef’s winnings
For winning the national title, Cha?ne des R?tisseurs awarded Nourse with a knife set, La Chaine sache and induction, a competition medal and first place medal.
Biltmore and Chef Brian Anderson’s rewards include a locally made chef’s knife from Asheville Crafted Edge, a selection of estate raised beef from the estate’s butchery and a Hedley & Bennett Star Wars Apron ― Nourse is a fan of the franchise.
Nourse said he doesn’t know what the award is for the international competition.
The chef said cooking competitions have shaped him and pushed him to grow. He said he seeks opportunities to learn which allows him to help others develop their craft.
Nourse said he plans to move up the ranks at Biltmore and seeks promotion.
“I enjoy making people happy and I learned making good food is a wonderful way to make someone’s heart happy,” Nourse said. “I put a lot of passion into the food that I cook. I know whoever’s going to be on the receiving end of this dish is going to be elated. That drives me to keep trying.”
For more about Cha?ne des R?tisseurs, visit chaineus.org.
For more about Biltmore, visit biltmore.com.
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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Biltmore chef, A-B Tech grad to represent US in global culinary event
