Knives set to come out
COOKING COMPETITION: GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO NURTURE YOUNG CHEFS Contestants will be culinary game changers eager to challenge themselves.
Who will be in the next generation of young chefs to create positive change in society through food? Applications for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2022-23 open on Monday.
The Young Chef Academy Competition is an exciting global initiative created by S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy to discover and nurture brilliant professionals able to push the boundaries of gastronomy.
Taking part in the competition is an opportunity to enter a long-standing, ambitious and visionary project, through which S.Pellegrino contributes to the evolution not only of the culinary community, but society as a whole.
The competition is the ideal context for all culinary game changers eager to challenge themselves and demonstrate their ability to create the finest taste experiences, while having a positive impact on society.
The competition offers young chefs the opportunity to start an inspiring and educational journey, gaining global visibility and significant professional prestige during a selection process that culminates in the grand finale next year.
The 2019/21 edition, which recently closed, saw about 300 talented young chefs and mentors from 50 countries working together to improve their signature dishes, which were not simply recipes but real ideas for a sustainable and inclusive culinary revolution.
In the end it was Jerome Ianmark Calayag, who triumphed, becoming a point of reference for all those who wish to become chefs with a new look to the future.
Stefano Bolognese, Sanpellegrino’s International Business unit director said: “The competition, originally conceived as an international scouting project, has evolved over the past two years into an authentic, permanent training and networking laboratory: the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, an inspiring community of more than 1 000 people made up of young and senior chefs originating from all over the world.
“The competition opens the doors to the academy and is the main tool we have to stimulate creativity and promote talent.
“The whole project conveys our commitment to pushing continuous evolution within the gastronomy world, which today represents an extraordinary ‘space’ to spread universal values, such as sustainability, responsibility, inclusivity, resilience and beauty.”
Young chefs under 30 can register for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 202223 on www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com from Monday until 30 April, providing personal and professional information and submitting the recipe of a signature dish which communicates their own vision, unique skills, and creativity.
In the first selection phase, applications will be evaluated by Alma, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts.
Alma will define a shortlist of young chefs who will participate in one of the 16 regional finals during the second half of the year.
Regional finalists will be officially in the running for the coveted title of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award 2022-23, which will boost their career and grant them worldwide recognition.
Applicants will also compete for three additional awards which will recognise their varied beliefs and approaches to create positive change in society through food.
The four awards are as follows:
S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award: the main award, voted for by the seven sages, an esteemed panel of internationally renowned chefs.
S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility: picked by the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy: voted for by mentors.
Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award: voted for by the online Fine Dining Lovers community for the young chef’s signature dish.