The regional finals are over and the first round of winners awarded as the final tension builds in the exciting wait for the final in the world’s biggest talent search for the next best young chef in S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2020.
In this gripping fourth edition of the global talent contest, there are even more awards up for grabs than ever before, recognising even more young chefs doing great things in gastronomy.
The Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award is one such award, nominated by our Fine Dining Lovers' readers and presented to the young chef regional finalist who best represented their personal belief within their signature dish.
Each of the twelve chefs, selected during the regional heats will now have the opportunity to compete for the global title at the Grand Finale in May 2020. While the Grand Jury will assess the eventual finalist, the spotlight will also shine on these young chefs making waves.
Here’s a reminder of those 12 talented young chefs, representing an incredible array of cooking cultures and experience from around the world, each reflecting a key theme in their winning signature dish, whether their family history, roots or local ingredients in winning signature dishes.
"Ancient Roots"
Ingrid Gonçalves, chef de partie, at Veda Restaurant in Hong Kong and winner of the Greater China FDL prize, gave meaning to her ribeye steak dish “Between the Flavours” by representing the beginning of gastronomy with fire, smoke, nature and different cultures in each element in her dish.
Antonio Romano, sous chef at Attimi by Heinz Beck CityLife, Milano looked to ancient Rome for his inspiration “I investigated how dates were used, how spices were used, and I tried to reproduce them in what is a new key” the winner for the Italy and South East Europe region explained of his dish, "Rome expressed itself."
"A taste of place"
Karan Upmanyu, Chef de partie at 'Toast And Tonic' in Bangalore, India and representing Asia, created a braised goat leg dish entitled “Shades of the desert” representing the Rajasthani dessert, reflecting its harshness to its beauty choosing resilient and foraged ingredients and drawing on culinary tradition.
Eliodoro Xicum’s formative experience working in Mayan communities shaped the idea for his signature dish representing the Yucatecan Mayan people: "Tamal Nohoch Ná" highlighting a cuisine of techniques, ingredients, preparations of a Mexico of roots indigenous people. The chef from 'Restaurant La Villa' - Mérida, Mexico was a winner in the Latin America final.
"Home is where the heart is"
Egor Makarov, winner in the Euro Asia heat paid homage to his heritage ande Russian cuisine with his "Russian Seafood" signature dish highlighting ingredients popular in various areas of Russia pay homage to classical Russian cuisine to create something new and trendy.
Andrea Ravasio from chef, 'Restaurante Kai' in Adeje, Spain has a dream with with his signature dish “El Domingo Del Campesino” “to bring the Canary Islands to the people, to the world and to the future.”
