Daniel Boulud is arguably one of the best chefs in New York City, with seven restaurants in Manhattan,six James Beard awards and countless other culinary accolades. But today, he’s leaving the cooking to someone else. Someone like 18-year-old Mimi Chen,who is among the aspiring chefs competing for achance to attend the premiere Bocuse d’Or cooking competition. The Bocuse d’Or is basically the world championships of cooking.

在曼哈顿区拥有七家参加、曾六次获得比尔德美食大奖及无数其他烹饪荣誉的丹尼尔，当之无愧是纽约不可多得的优秀厨师。不过今天，丹尼尔要将烹饪的舞台交给另一个人。这个人年仅18岁，名叫陈米米。陈和很多厨师一样，也渴望能在博古斯世界烹饪大赛中得到首秀亮相的机会。博古斯世界烹饪大赛可以称之为世界烹饪界的最高赛事。

So it’s essentially 60 countries vying for 24 spots at a final that’s held every two years in Lyon,France. Chen is among the young finalists who have a shot at traveling and working with Team USA. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is made possible by Ment’or, a nonprofit started by renowned chefs Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse. For every grant we give to ayoung chef to be able to take a sabbatical from his job ... to be able to experiment in other people’s places ... and yet go back to their job, and come back energized, come back inspired... That’s what we’re looking for, helping the next generation to be better than us. It’s hard to imagine anyone better than the chefs who recently assembled that institute of culinary education in New York, but the road to culinary greatness starts with early. I was 17. I went to culinary school and then graduated when I was 19. It’s about pushing yourself to work for the best. Finding the right chefs to work for, and then sticking it out. Brendan Scott is only 20, but already has big plans. I want to be a chef, I want to compete in the Bocuse, I want to open up my own restaurant. ... I want to do all these things. ... but no matter what, I think it’s just gonna take time.

博古斯世界烹饪大赛每两年在法国里昂举行一次：60个国家在决赛中争夺24个席位。陈就是最终的佼佼者之一，有机会和美国队一起旅游和参与烹饪工作。而决定比赛至关重要的结果的是一家名为Ment’or的公益组织，创始人为知名厨师丹尼尔、托马斯和杰罗姆。每一次我们为年轻的厨师准假，让他们在其他地方烹饪学习……然后精力充沛地回到工作岗位，并有所启发。这就是我们想要达到的目标：助力下一代，让他们比我们更强。很难想象有什么比那些厨师厨艺更加精湛的厨师能参加Ment’or的厨艺学习，但可以确定的是通往厨神之路的起点越来越早了。我17岁的时候参加了厨艺学校的学习，毕业的时候我19岁。我打算逼一把自己，让自己追求卓越。找到好的师傅，好好学习。布兰登今年只有20岁，但已经有了宏伟的计划。我想成为一名厨师，我想参加博古斯世界烹饪大赛，我想自己开餐厅……这些事情我都想做……但无论如何，我都需要时间慢慢来……

According to the National Restaurant Association, industry sales for commercial restaurants are projected at $720 billion this year. For young chefs hoping to make their mark, mentorships can be crucial. There’s restaurants that you just can’t make that leap to sometimes on your own, and this is our way of recognizing talent and connecting it to opportunity. That opportunity just paid off for Mimi Chen, who in the end won the commis or the apprenticeship competition. A victory perhaps not only for her, but for the culinary world.Tina Trinh, VOANEWS, New York.

根据美国餐厅协会的数据，今年商业餐厅的销量预计达到7200亿美元。对于年纪轻轻却想崭露头角的厨师来说，导师的作用很重要。有些餐厅，紧靠一己之力是进不去的，而导师制就能让其他人看到你的才华，帮你搭建更多的机会。而这样的机会就降临在陈头上，陈获得了以学员身份参加竞赛的机会而这个胜利不只是她自己的，也是整个烹饪界的。感谢收听蒂娜为您从纽约发回的VOA新闻。

词汇解释

1.arguably 可以说，可谓

例句:They are arguably the most important band since The Rolling Stones.

他们可以说是自滚石以来最重要的乐队。

2.vie for 竞争，争夺

例句:In addition, the upcoming 2012 political transition could lead to erratic policy implementation as candidates vie for power.

此外，即将到来的2012年政治过渡因候选人为权力争夺可能导致不稳定的政策的实施。

3.once-in-a-lifetime 千载难逢的

例句:But those that do consider it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for their children to experience the life of a princess, if only for a week.

但也有的家长觉得这是一次千载难逢的好机会，可以让自己的女儿体验一回当王妃的感觉，哪怕只有一周也好。

4.pay off 取得成功，还清

例句:Sandra was determined to become a doctor and her persistence paid off.

桑德拉决心成为一名医生，她的坚持不懈终于带来了成功。