Chef Jean Claude Garzia can rightly lay claim to being one of the best cooks in the business after winning one of the world's most prestigious contests.

Recently Mr. Garzia, the executive chef at Bermuda's Cambridge Beaches, won the Meilleur Ouvrier de France -- the Best Chef of France award -- beating off competition from more than 450 chefs.

"It hasn't sunk in yet. Sometimes I awke up and still cannot really believe it. I will not believe it until Jacques Chirac, the French President, awards me with the medal,'' said Mr. Garzia.

Only French chefs, with at least ten years experience, were allowed to enter for the contest which is only held every five years.

A total of 467 candidates registered for the competition with the number being whittled down to 296 taking part in written tests and practical exams.

From those, 48 competitors were chosen to take part in the final exams and 19 winners were chosen as well as one overall winner -- Mr. Garzia.

For the finals, Mr. Garzia had just four-and-a-half hours to prepare a three course meal for six people using fresh whole mackerel and a shoulder of lamb with a rum cake for dessert.

He was given the full use of a kitchen and vegetables and herbs but had to think of a menu and construct it from scratch.

Mr. Garzia will go back to France in April to receive a medal honouring his achievements. Winners are not allowed to enter again and he has instead been asked to be a judge in the next contest.

"Winning this will change my life. There were many doors which were closed and which are now open to me. It's a case of making my own recipes now,'' he said.

"I have already been asked to do some work in Barbados and Japan for a few weeks, but I'll be staying at Cambridge Beaches,'' said Mr. Garzia, who has lived in Bermuda for about 15 years.

Managing director at Cambridge, Michael Winfield, said it was a huge coup to have one of the world's best chefs in Bermuda.

"We have sponsored Jean Claude throughout all the competitions he has entered and he is an extremely accomplished cook.

"It is a real coup to have one of the best chefs in the world and I hope he is happy at Cambridge Beaches.''