With the official launch of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024-25, former chef participants and mentors-turned-judges reflect on their experience during the competition and why pushing your culinary limits is always worth it
When San Pellegrino launched the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition (formerly known as the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition) in 2015, San Pellegrino international business unit director Stefano Bolognese told Tatler Dining that they were looking for a way to support the F&B community which has been very kind to them “with a purpose”. He shared: “We are a heritage brand that has been around for more than 100 years and instead of being content [with where we are now], we wanted to look forward and [pioneer initiatives that would give us] more credibility. What better way to do this than to support today’s young chefs who are the future of the dining industry?
Since its launch almost a decade ago, the academy has helped kick-start the careers of the finest young chefs in the world who benefitted from the global community’s mentorships, networking events and global biennial cooking competition.
In case you missed it: Naeum sous chef Ian Goh in the top 3 at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy 2022-23 competition
The most recent finals took place in Milan, Italy last October where Singaporean Ian Goh, head chef of Restaurant Inicio, made it into the top 3 with his Heritage Lamb dish, along with French chef Camille Saint-Mleux and Portuguese chef Nelson Freitas, who was declared the winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2022-23.
This year, San Pellegrino is doing it again with the official launch of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2023-24 in Seoul, South Korea last month. Over 40 guests from around the world, including Tatler Singapore, gathered at one-Michelin-starred restaurant Eatanic Garden at Josun Palace hotel to savour a 14-hands lunch feast crafted by the competition’s former chef-mentors and judges, as well as previous young chef participants.