Winner of SPYCA Regional Final for France announced

Camille Saint-M'leux is the winner of the France Regional Final of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2022-23. The chef of La Villa 93 restaurant in Montreuil won over the jury of big-name chefs – Christophe Bacquié, Stéphanie Le Quellec, Alexandre Mazzia, Jessica Préalpato and Adrien Cachot – thanks to his signature dish based on beef and cuttlefish. 

Three other collateral prizes were also awarded: the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award, voted for by FDL readers, went to François Vermeere-Merlen; the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award went to Luca Visentin; while the winner of the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award was Clément Vergeat.

The announcement was made during a special gala evening at the Café de l'Homme in Paris a few steps from the Eiffel Tower. With his signature dish, Camille Saint-M'leux will challenge 14 other global finalists during the Grand Finale, which will take place in Milan later this year. In this next stage of the competition, juror Christophe Bacquié will accompany him as a mentor.

SPYCA Competition 2022-23 France Regional Final: Collateral awards

The S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award was won by Luca Visentin for his ‘Mare nostrum’ dish based on mackerel and seaweed, designed to highlight the need to reduce food waste. Judged by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, the award is given for the dish that best interprets the principle that food is better when it is the result of socially responsible practices.

The Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award was won by Clément Vergeat for his dish ‘Climb the darkness’ highlighting the positive aspects of the industry. The prize, voted for by the mentors who accompany the young chefs, is given for the dish that best reflects the perfect balance between the past and the future, as an expression of the traditional gastronomic heritage of chef's country of origin.

Finally, the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award, voted by Fine Dining Lovers’ online community, was won by François Vermeere-Merlen for his dish of beetroot, grapefruit and Sichuan pepper. This prize is given to the young chef who, in the opinion of the community, has best represented her or his personal beliefs with a dish.