Louise Bernard, edited by Antoine Terrel 11:36 a.m., September 20, 2021, modified at 11:38 a.m., September 20, 2021

To further advance its candidates and allow them to join the famous "Top Chef" program, Philippe Etchebest has created "the Top Chef academy".

On the program: intensive preparation, both technical and psychological, he explains to the microphone of Europe 1. "You have to have a big mind," he says. 

On M6, the program

Objectif Top Chef

returns on Monday at 6:40 p.m., for a new season.

In this program, the famous chef Philippe Etchebest puts in competition young promising cooks to find the candidate who will be able to join the

Top Chef

competition

.

And the host always takes as much pleasure to host this program, as he confirms at the microphone of Europe 1. 

"At the same time bringing my know-how, training, supporting young people, I find that it is very rewarding", he confides, adding being able himself "to learn things from these young people".

“They have a very broad vision of cooking with social networks, and there are things that I miss,” he adds.

"I'm discovering some pretty interesting things that make me think about cooking and keep me alert ... that's cool."

"Intense preparation"

But since the creation of

Objectif Top Chef

, only one foal by Philippe Etchebest has subsequently won

Top Chef

. The leader therefore looked for how to better prepare his candidates ... And he found. This is the great novelty of the season: ¨Philippe Etchebest has created the "

Top Chef

academy

". 108 candidates at the start, then only nine enter the academy for intensive preparation. With legendary

Top Chef

events such

as the black box or the restaurant war, but also challenges facing chefs. 

Technical preparation, but also psychological, specifies Philippe Etchebest.

"I warned them well: 'It's going to be difficult, it's going to be commando training'," he recalls.

“For a fortnight, I didn't let go. They were together 24 hours a day, and whenever they thought they were done I would go see them in their little room, and I would say to them, 'Come on. we're going, it's not over. "

"You have to have a big mind"

"I rinsed them," admits the host.

"But it was wanted. I had to see who was going to hold up, because

Top Chef

is a marathon, a very strong emotional lift. And beyond the technique that we can have in the kitchen, we must having a big mind is what makes it possible to hold out over time. "

But according to him, the candidates liked this intensive preparation.

"They were so happy every time I told them about the events, they really felt like they were in

Top Chef

, having the experience, that's what was great."