Meet the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024-25 grand finalists
These are the 15 young chefs from around the world who will gather in Milan to compete for the ultimate culinary prize.
Preparations have begun for the culmination of the world’s greatest culinary talent search, the Grand Finale of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024-25, which will take place in Milan, Italy, later this year.
There, 15 talented young chefs from around the world, all of whom have triumphed at their respective regional finals, will compete for the ultimate prize: the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award.
To win, the chefs will have to impress the Grand Jury of esteemed chefs with a signature dish, the same dish they’ve cooked at all stages of the competition, guided by their chef mentors.
As excitement builds, get to know the 15 young hopefuls below, all of whom will be looking to claim the title of the best young chef in the world, at one of the biggest and most prestigious events in the global culinary calendar.
Luckson Mare will compete for the Africa, Middle East and South Asia region. The young chef, from restaurant The Living Room at Summerhill Estate, close to Durban, South Africa, will cook a signature dish of duck with sweet potato and matungulu, a kind of plum. Guiding him at the Grand Finale will be his mentor, chef Johannes Richter, who inspired the dish.
Ardy Ferguson will represent Asia at the Grand Finale. The young chef from Belon restaurant in Hong Kong will cook his signature dish, Archipelago Celebration, under the watchful eye of mentor Vicky Lau, who was part of the Grand Jury at the last edition of the competition. The dish is “a celebration of the vibrant culinary traditions of Indonesia,” says Ferguson, and is also inspired by the gastronomic traditions of Hong Kong.
Young chef Victoria Rinsma will represent Canada at the Grand Finale, where she will cook her signature dish, Across the Sea and Home Again, which she says is the “purest form of expression” of her culinary journey. Rinsma, Sous Chef at Hexagon restaurant in Oakville, close to Toronto, will be supported by mentor Rafael Covarrubias, who was himself a grand finalist at the 2019-21 edition.
Emilia Montz, the young chef from restaurant Troyka in Erkelenz, Germany will compete for the Central Europe region. Dancer Montz’s signature dish, Russian Ballet, is inspired by Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and she will get the chance to cook the dish again at the Grand Finale, with mentor Rosina Ostler looking on.
Antonis Avouri, Sous Chef at Mosuke restaurant in Paris, will represent France at the Grand Finale. His signature dish, The Consequences of Our Actions, designed to highlight sustainability issues, is based on fish, with French and Cypriot influences. His mentor will be chef Alexandre Mazzia.
Young chef Jose Maria Borrás will compete for the Iberian Countries, hoping to emulate the previous edition’s winner, Nelson Freitas, who also represented the region. His dish, ‘Langosto y Cochinillo Balear’, is inspired by the cuisine of the Balearic Islands. Borrás’ mentor will be Andreu Genestra Garcia, who will be charged with ensuring the young chef from Santa Mariana restaurant in Menorca hits top form. Borrás will also compete for the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award, a collateral prize of the competition.
Edoardo Tizzanini will be the young chef representing Italy and will not have far to travel from his current role as Sous Chef at Da Vittorio restaurant in Brusaporto, around 60km from Milan. He will cook his signature dish, An Artichoke Heart, under the guidance of mentor Giancarlo Perbellini.
Gabriela Sarmiento will compete for the Latin America and Caribbean countries. The young chef, who works at the Ancon Hill Bar & Restaurant in Panama, will cook a signature dish based on Panamanian sancocho, a kind of chicken soup, called ‘La Malquerida’. Chef Mario Castellon will be her mentor. Sarmiento will also compete for the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award, another collateral prize.
Young chef Ya Min Liu will represent the Mainland of China region at the Grand Finale. The chef from La Bourriche 133 restaurant in Shanghai, will cook a “numbing and spicy” signature dish based on turbot, called ‘Symphony of Layered Flavours’. His mentor will be chef Jacqueline Qiu.
Noah Wynants is the young chef who will compete for the North Europe region. Wynants had an astonishing Regional Final, picking up the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy and Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought collateral awards, as well as the main prize. He’ll be hoping his signature dish of Dutch ‘Rendang’ will be enough to secure a similarly successful Grand Finale. Mentoring the young Senior Sous Chef from De Librije restaurant in Zwolle, Netherlands, will be chef Nelson Tanate.
KyongHo Choi will represent the Pacific region at the Grand Finale. The young chef from Omnia Bistro & Bar in Melbourne, will cook his signature dish, Bacon and Cabbage or Pork and Kimchi, a tribute to his place of birth, South Korea, and Ireland, where he grew up. His mentor will be chef Josh Niland.
Pablo Donadío Falcón, from Slovenia’s Hiša Franko restaurant, will compete for the South-East Europe and Mediterranean region. The young chef will prepare his signature dish, Haiku to the Mountain, based on roe deer, with his mentor Yvonne Melee looking on. The dish is inspired, the chef says, by the Slovenian countryside and his mother’s poetry.
The young chef representing the UK at this year’s Grand Finale will be Ben Miller from restaurant Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal in London. Miller will cook his signature dish, Ode to Sam Yee, based on duck, supported by mentor chef, Santiago Lastra.
Garrett Brower, from the world famous French Laundry restaurant in California, is the young chef who will represent the USA at the Grand Finale. There he’ll cook his signature dish, Quail Stuffed with Chesapeake Oysters, mentored by chef Aisha Ibrahim.
Young chef Theo Kopp will compete for the West Europe region. Currently working at Ma Langue Sourit restaurant in Luxembourg, he will cook an interpretation of potée Lorraine for his signature dish, based on pork and mirabelle plum. His mentor at the Grand Finale will be chef Cyril Molard.
