Are You Ready for the Grand Finale?
Everything you need to know about this year’s event, including how to watch it.
Updated 25 October
The wait is almost over for the Grand Finale of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2019-21, set to take place in Milan on 28-30 October.
The long-awaited event, originally scheduled for May 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic, will also celebrate the reopening of the hospitality sector after an especially challenging period.
As such, this edition of the competition will be bigger and better than ever, with three additional awards, an exclusive forum curated by Fine Dining Lovers and workshops for young chefs.
“We are excited to welcome the international gastronomy community to Milan,” said S.Pellegrino International Business Unit Director, Stefano Bolognese. “One year ago, we launched the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy as an inspiring community where talented young chefs connect with the most influential members of the gastronomic world, and are empowered with educational and mentoring opportunities.
“The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition is one of the key activities of the project and the primary tool to reinforce our commitment: stimulate and nurture meaningful creativity to push continuous evolution, not only within the gastronomy sector, but society as a whole. That’s what makes the Grand Finale such an important date for us and in the global culinary calendar.”
Join us live
The Competition and Award Ceremony will be streamed live via the Academy’s website and Facebook page, and also via S.Pellegrino TV.
Academy members can also watch the Brain Food Forum via the Academy’s private Facebook Group and the reserved area of the website.
Be sure to join us for this momentous occasion, and follow the Academy on Facebook and Instagram for live updates.
The competition
12 finalists from around the world are expected to cook in front of a Grand Jury of some of gastronomy’s biggest names.
The prestigious chef jury of Enrico Bartolini, Manu Buffara, Andreas Caminada, Mauro Colagreco, Gavin Kaysen, Clare Smyth and Pim Techamuanvivit will judge dishes based on technical skill, creativity, and personal belief – as well as the candidates’ potential to create positive change in society through food.
The chef who displays these attributes most successfully during the live cook-off on 29 October will be crowned the winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2019-21. The live cook-off will take place across two sessions: 11:25AM - 1:20PM CEST and 5:50PM - 7:20PM CEST.
To reflect the Academy’s belief in the transformative power of gastronomy, this year’s Grand Finale will also include three additional awards: the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy, the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility, and the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award. All 36 regional finalists have been invited to attend the Grand Finale, where winners will be announced on 30 October.
The Award Ceremony will be live streamed from 7:05PM - 8:25PM CEST on 30 October.
Academy workshops
To encourage further networking and educational opportunities, finalists in the three additional awards will be invited to attend a series of dedicated workshops on 28 October. These workshops will be recorded and made available to Academy members in the coming months.
The Brain Food Forum
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Brain Food Forum will be held for the first time on 30 October from 9:30AM - 12:30PM CEST. Fine Dining Lovers Editor-in-Chief Ryan King will moderate a series of talks themed around ‘Taste & Creativity’ with culinary sensation Massimo Bottura, celebrated Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez, and the top chefs of the 2021 Grand Jury, who will share their experiences and opinions with guests.
