Cooking up one special competition

Young professional chefs with signature dishes are invited to apply for the S Pellegrino Young Chef 2018.

First launched in 2015, S Pellegrino Young Chef is an opportunity for chefs below the age of 30, with at least a year’s work experience, to develop their skills and gain professional recognition in their careers.

More than 3,000 candidates from 243 countries enrolled last episode, with Mitch Lienhard, from the US, claiming the title of S Pellegrino Young Chef 2016.

Applicants are required to submit forms along with details of their signature dishes by April 30. The grand final is scheduled for June 2018.

Qualified candidates will be separated into 21 different groups, according to their geographical origin.

By June, 10 semi-finalists per region will be selected using the following criteria, dubbed “The Five Golden Rules”: ingredients, skill, genius, beauty and the dish’s message. Regional competitions, chaired by a regional panel of top chefs, will be held over the next seven months.

By the end of this year, 21 regional finalists will be announced to enter in the all-expense-paid grand finale in Milan, Italy. Each finalist will be assigned mentor chefs, who will supervise their culinary development leading up to the final round.

The final competition is judged by a panel of globally-acclaimed celebrity master chefs. Last year’s jury included the US’s Wylie Dufresne, Thailand’s Gaggan Anand, Italy’s Carlo Cracco, South Africa’s David Higgs, France’s Mauro Colagreco, Spain’s Elena Arzak and Brazil’s Roberta Sudbrack.

“This competition might give them [the young chefs] the opportunity to travel and get closer to their own restaurants, but the best part is the camaraderie, a chance to meet people, make new friends and be a part of the very special chef community,” said Dufresne.