The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, a global initiative which is currently searching for the best chefs under 30 as part of its Young Chef Competition, has announced its stellar jury line up for its 2022 UK edition.
Sally Abe, Lisa Goodwin Allen, Jason Atherton, Claude Bosi, Sat Bains, Skye Gyngell and Francesco Mazzei have all come on board to judge finalists and support the talent of tomorrow.
Selected participants for the UK competition will join the Regional Finals event that will take place on 11th and 12th October and will show their talent and compete in front of the prestigious jury.
S.Pellegrino’s research found that 76% of hospitality employers believe that top fine dining chefs are the biggest inspiration for young chefs, which is why S.Pellegrino works with leading chefs every year to be part of this initiative.
Through its academy, the business is campaigning to improve perceptions of the sector and nurture the talent of tomorrow through a global network where some of the world’s leading chefs can share ideas, best practice and inspiration.
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition is now open for entrants, and chefs under 30 years of age have the chance to register for the competition until 30th June 2022, sharing the Signature Dish that expresses their unique creativity and vision. Applications will be assessed by ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts, which will draw up the shortlist of competitors ahead of the Regional Finals.
Commenting on being part of the UK jury, Jason Atheron said:
“It’s a pleasure to be part of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef judging panel. Now more than ever we need to inspire and nurture the next generation of chefs and this competition helps to do just that. There is so much talent within our industry and to be able to spot and highlight these extraordinary individuals is an honour.”
Sat Bains added: ““It’s so important to put the future of our industry first – and the best way to do this is by shining a spotlight on young chefs. Therefore, I am honoured and privileged to be involved – and I look forward to meeting the finalists in October.”
Skye Gyngell commented:
“When I was starting out in my career, I always looked to other chefs for inspiration – so being able to work with, future talent is something that’s incredibly important to me.
S.Pellegrino’s Young Chef Academy is all about celebrating and nurturing young talent, something we must do for our industry to continue to thrive.”
The Signature Dishes will be evaluated on the basis of three Golden Rules; for each of them the jury members shall assign a score between 1 and 10:
1. Technical skills: ability to select the finest ingredients in terms of quality, freshness and uniqueness, to obtain an excellent taste, combined with technical skills that bring out the flavours of the ingredients, whilst maintaining their original essence.
2. Creativity: ability to explore original, stimulating, and innovative perspectives with a personal and contemporary style, whilst maintaining a perfect balance between flavour and aesthetic appearance.
3. Personal belief: ability to communicate a clear message that summarises the “vision” of their work, their vision of the world of food and their contribution to today’s society in general through food.
The current edition, opening the Regional Finals to a higher number of competitors (175 young chefs representing at least 50 different Countries/Regions), will offer even more opportunities for young talent to embark on a culinary journey that will bring visibility, prestige and the chance to compete for the global S. Pellegrino Young Chef Award at a Grand Finale in Milan in 2023.
As with the 2019/21 edition, the 2022/23 competition will also feature three additional awards alongside the main prize: the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility voted for by the Sustainable Restaurant Association which runs the Food Made Good program, the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy voted for by the competition mentors, and the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award voted for by Fine Dining Lovers readers.
To start the application and discover more about the initiative please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/the-competition/application-form
