The chefs will cook for a U.S. jury comprising E.J. Lagasse of Emeril’s in New Orleans; Fariyal Abdullahi of Hav & Mar in New York; Isabel Coss of Pascual and Lutèce in Washington, DC; Jon Yao of Kato in Los Angeles; and Ryan Ratino of Hive Hospitality in Washington, DC.
Each dish will be assessed according to the competition’s three central criteria: technical skill, creativity, and personal belief. The regional winner will advance to the Grand Finale in Milan, where the chef will compete against representatives selected through 14 other regional competitions.
Three additional honors will be awarded during the competition. The S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award recognizes sustainable practices, while the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award honors a dish that connects tradition with contemporary cooking. Fine Dining Lovers Insiders will select the Fine Dining Lovers Award for the chef whose dish most clearly expresses a personal point of view.
The Academy has also announced the seven chefs who will judge the Grand Finale. The Global Jury brings together Enrico “Chicco” Cerea of three-Michelin-starred Da Vittorio in Italy; Rodolfo Guzmán of Boragó in Chile; Junghyun “JP” Park of two-Michelin-starred Atomix in New York; Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij of Potong in Bangkok; Jessica Rosval of Al Gatto Verde in Modena; Ana Roš of three-Michelin-starred Hiša Franko in Slovenia; and Martino Ruggieri of Maison Ruggieri in Paris.
Park will be the United States representative on a jury selected to reflect different culinary traditions and approaches to mentorship. The Seoul-born chef has helped bring contemporary Korean cooking to a wider international audience through Atomix, which he operates with his wife, Ellia Park.
“True innovation comes from deep study,” Park said. “I am looking for chefs who possess a scientific curiosity and a relentless commitment to detail, showing that they can evolve a traditional cuisine into something globally resonant.”
The Global Jury will evaluate the regional winners’ signature dishes and select the recipient of the 2026–27 S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award. Until then, the competition begins in New York with 10 chefs and one place at the table in Milan.
