The S.Pellegrino Young Chef contest returns for a fourth edition with a grand final scheduled for 2020. This time, the international cooking competition shakes things up with new rules and awards up for grabs alongside the main prize.
Started four years ago to seek out the world’s most talented young chefs, the S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition now runs over a timeframe of a year and a half, from the regional selection rounds to the grand final, last held in Milan in May 2018.
However, the rules have changed, according to the Italian water brand’s webzine Fine Dining Lovers, since worldwide candidates will now be divided into 12 global regions instead of 21. In other words, 12 young chefs will represent their country and/or world region. Up to 15 candidate young chefs will be shortlisted per region to compete in the regional finals.
Moreover, selection criteria have been reduced from five to three: technical skills, creativity and personal belief. Applications open February 4. Hopefuls must be age 30 or younger and have at least one year’s experience as a chef, chef de partie or sous chef. Applications must include the chef’s signature dish recipe.
Despite this reduction in contestants, the “mentors” concept remains, with professional chefs supporting and motivating competing young talents.
Finally, as well as announcing the main winner, there will be three other awards up for grabs at the regional finals, held from June to December 2019. The new awards are the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility, crowning the dish that best reflects socially responsible practices; the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy, for skillfully conveying different cultures in a dish; and the Fine Dining Lovers Food For Thoughts Award, for the chef whose personal belief is best represented in their dish. These awards will also be presented at the grand final, set to take place in June 2020 in Milan (to be confirmed), along with the overall winner of the S. Pellegrino Young Chef 2020 title.
In 2018, the Japanese chef Yasuhiro Fujio was crowned S.Pellegrino Young Chef by a jury of top professional chefs including Dominique Crenn, Paul Pairet, Virgilio Martinez and Anna Ros. – Relaxnews
