Regional Finalists 2022-23

Nowadays, Bali is facing a massive shift in landscape and lifestyle due to mass tourism. My biggest concern is the future of our children. What is our legacy? What is my responsibility as a chef for future generations? I want to take my part in preserving our Balinese heritage, our ingredients, our local farmers, our skills, and show that mixing tradition and modernity is possible. This is why I called my dish " Go Local or Go Home ".

"Humans and nature are not separate; they create value together. Across Asia, time becomes value through drying, fermentation, aging, and brewing. In Japan, UMAMI captures a part of this wisdom.

By reinterpreting Ikameshi—where sea squid meets land rice—I express this time culture in a five-hour competition. Through the cycle of sea, land, and sky, the dish honors the lives sustaining it, from squid to bees, hoping it continues.

To me, UMAMI is when nature, time, and human wisdom converge."

My mother’s dawn-steamed rice and her traditional pantry shaped my childhood culinary pride. Growing up as a chef, I found her humble kitchen held a profound system of knowledge: the soul of fish sauce, rice culture, and flavor balance. This lobster, sticky rice, and phở dish contemporary retells those memories. It’s about deeply understanding our core values and wrapping the Vietnamese soul in a modern structure. I dream of our cuisine stepping out globally with an irreplaceable identity.

I want to pay tribute to our forests and also to our ancestors who lived there using ancestral cooking methods such as crust baking and banique bread. I also want to bring back memories and make you nostalgic with the smell of dead leaves when you go mushroom picking. The mushrooms will also be showcased, as will some of the trees that can be found there. I really want to transport the judges to a forest in the middle of autumn.

This plate is a representation of my core believes as a Chef, cooking with nostalgia, locally raised ingredients that are of great quality and treating them with care. The locally sourced rabbits is paired with carrots, Hen of the wood mushrooms, Swiss chard- all grown in and around the city, this is probably what the rabbit ate for dinner! The whole animal is used in the dish giving it all the respect it deserves and a true display of what food systems in the industry.

This is the purest form of expression of my journey. This dish will take you through the beginning of my career all the way to the present. It takes inspiration from my grandmother’s impactful love for cooking transmitted to me as a young girl, to the reflection of my culinary career. My development as a chef and the learning of cultures, were turning points of finding my own identity and what has devoted me to this chapter.

Seasonality and regionality play a fundamental role for me when creating my dishes. I want to know where my products come from and how I can use the conditions of my environment for my dishes. Products should find their way onto a plate when they are available on the market in the best quality it can offer. The goal should always be to use the full potential of all products. Often, in the simplicity of the products lies the entire art of cooking.

This dish expresses my journey from a humble Vietnamese kitchen to European fine dining. By uniting classic techniques with hometown flavors—like Sa Chau fish sauce, Xá Xíu, and pho aromatics—I tell a story of cultural harmony. The wheat tuile and smoky eggplant evoke my deep Vietnamese roots. It reflects my identity: a modern chef proudly carrying my heritage to the global stage, bridging two worlds through food.

I wish to inspire people to reconnect with their neighborhood. Regionality is not just practiced, it is lived! We need to encourage kids to engage in gastronomy. Let's show the next generation the joy of serving guests dishes made from locally-sourced ingredients, fostering connections with friends in the local farming community. Hopefully, kids today, through my cooking, will discover that, as my grandma always says: 'Where there's a will, there's a way.' Let's create paths worth taking.

My name is Klervi. It's a Celtic name from Brittany, Bretagne region of France from my mother. She gave me the taste of the gastronomic products with the fish, the seaweeds and the buckwheat. I found this passion again few years later when I met my Mentor from Japan. We found out that the products from Bretagne and Japan are quite the same. The Colombo, is a memory from my childhood in Guadeloupe, french island in the Caribbean. The sea is the link between this 3 regions and my traveling diary.

I would like to express my technique and all the skills I have learnt. I've travelled a lot but I'm still connected to Brittany, my home region, even though I've left. I'm very attached to it. Now that I've settled in the Ardèche, my dish represents both, the saltiness of Brittany and the technique of Royans raviole. I'd like to show you that I can present something that is extremely simple at first glance, even though all the fillings in it are complex.

A plate full of memories of my trip to Bretagne in the summer. I found a wild fennel herb in the nature of Bretagne, I bought organic vegetables and herbs from local producers. I fished in the sea of Bretagne, (natural fish and natural common cockle and seaweeds that actually experienced fishing)
The main ingredient,Turbot, is baked, The Flounder Fin, bone-based sauce, and Turbot skin chips, all of which can be cooked and enjoyed with different sauces and garnishes.

The dish represents my whole essence as a cook and as a person. It evokes my Italian-Granadian roots. It is a journey through the 5 senses that reflects my culinary maturity learned so far. At the same time, it aims to show diners the values that represent my cuisine. Love for the profession, respect for the raw material and sustainability with the environment.

This dish combines different flavors, textures and techniques. It's main objetive is to show the combination of duck breast with an oriental sauce, fresh vegetables and the crunchy almonds. The idea is to create a fusion between the different elaborations.

I am a chef who returned to his origins, and the one I want to become proves that flavor, wellbeing and respect for the sea are a single path. I believe food is how we care for one another — for the people we feed and the sea that feeds us. My Basque grandparents fished in Chile, there I found comunity and learned that to cook is to give care. This dish carries that belief: a humble mackerel caught by hook, cooked with modern-tradition technique, nutrients that heal, nothing wasted.

My "Ossi di seppia" draws inspiration from Montale's work, where bones, wandering among the waves and seemingly worthless, symbolize a miserable yet significant existential condition. Like the small things in daily life, they conceal intrinsic value and beauty. By using every part of the cuttlefish, even those considered scraps, I aim to showcase their importance and convey the significance of circular cooking to reduce waste and valorise each ingredient.

I really like being able to eat soup, in a cold version, even in summer or hot days.
The earthy elements are balanced by the different acidities present in the dish; the accompanying drink has the role of recalling the classic Borsch broth while introducing a contrast linked to the ph of the drink itself which makes tasting the dish more fun in the mouth.

Migration and Integration
Arriving in a new place is not always easy and even more so it is not easy to integrate and be accepted with your traditions by people with a culture different from yours. The African slaves in Peru in 1800 were able to integrate their spices and traditions to a very important dish in the Inca culture such as the carapulcra.With this dish I want to tell my journey, playing with techniques, shapes and colors to propose the flavors of my land with an Italian twist.

Through this dish I express my trajectory and the way I created my personality in the kitchen. It has elements from different countries and experiences that have formed me as a chef. It contains elements from Mexico and Panama, because of my nationality, from Italy by virtue of my descent and gastronomic formation and from Japan after the passion I’ve acquired over Japanese cuisine due to my current job. The fusion of them all create a mix of flavors and techniques that represent me.

Goat is a typical product of my region Mendoza. I have eaten it since my childhood, my grandfather taught me how to cook it on a flame but I never experimented with other cooking methods, so it became a personal search of how to transform it and find other textures, flavours and combinations that complemented it. I want to show that with the same product I can achieve different preparations by working it 100% without wasting anything from head to toe, mixing migratory cultures.

I am a proud member of the new generation, who challenge social norms and show our capabilities. Raised with a deep respect for ingredients, I aspire to grow and learn every day. Hungry to make my mark professionally, my goal is to proudly represent my country's rich culinary heritage. Through my dishes I seek to evoke the flavors of the Chilean sea, emphasizing sustainability and respect for ingredients. It is time for the new generations to break the glass.

I want to memorize my first trip to Guangxi. A mountainous region with rich cultural resources.Bamboo there is a important materiel.I went to several villages deep in mountains.The weather makes moss grows everywhere.People there are poor and still using self-made charcoals for cooking and stay warm, so the smell of smoke hung in the air.But what touched me is the kindness of them.
This is a vegetarian dish ,the flavor of my dish based on a famous noodle in Guangxi, name is Old Friend noodle, and I use some fermented ingredients which are also common in Guangxi cuisine.
 

Nature is almighty, and ecological systems require balance, this symbiosis the only way to survive, so I had the inspiration to use “Coexistence” as my theme.

This inspiration stemmed from the traditional Chinese character “Xian” (meaning freshness, which is made up of the Chinese character for “fish” and the Chinese character for “lamb” ).
I use a commonly found but not ordinary big head carp fish head from the freezing regions of the Northeast. Due to the cold weather, the big head carp is fatty and has a wonderful texture. The fish head is the best part and rich in collagen, it is the soul of the produce. This I combined with the delicacy of the grasslands, the tender lamb, and the traditional fried snack “You Dun Zi”; onion crisp, caviar, asparagus lettuce, and powdered dill adds texture and flavor.
Where it matters, ingredients that reflect their geographical and natural habitat are used and through my understanding, creativity, innovation and using each ingredients to its fullest.

 

This dish stemmed from my memory of my hometown. It started with chicken from Hetian Town and that relates to local farms and the whole ecological system. From there, it casts a light onto the Chinese farming and rural society culture.

Poultry is an important element in the dining culture for this city tucked away in the mountains. These Hetian chickens have a wild temperament and were used for imperial chicken fights in the ancient times. The farmers live in the mountains and the chickens roam around freely in the pristine environment feeding on wheat and rice grown on the farm. From my memory, these chickens are capable enough to scale trees and even rooftops.
 

This dish focuses on solder fish which is one of the largest food sources for many fish species in the ocean. also that is hardly used in our gastronomic. more focused on Nordic ingredients and history with a mix of classic and modern cooking techniques.

Emmanuel Pillon chef of the Louis XV said : « Nothing is lost, everything is transformed. » In my dishes I would like to transmet this kind of spirit. We can use all the left over, all the skin and make a really good dishes. I choose to cook vegan become since 8 months I grow in this environnement and I found a really équilibre of technic and flavor. This kitchen let me really grow and open many doors for fermentations and taste.

We are taught that sacrifice is the only way to perfection, that the expense of people is a normal part of being a chef. That the best produce is from the other part of the world and that waste is an exception for fine dining. I believe that sustainability contains so much more than just local vegetables. Its also about leadership, a good working environment and treating ourselves with respect. Respect the people, respect the produce, respect the process. Respect the world.

It’s been three years, that I have seen my family due to the pandemic, three years since I've been to my ancestral home in ‘Aurangabad’, a city with a high Muslim population. The very place where I truly appreciated the true diversity of my cuisine and culture.
This dish is an amalgamation of my childhood, my roots and the vision I have to see my cuisine on the global stage amidst all its diverse and colorful glory. Where people do not just tag it as a “curry cuisine” but see it for what it is

Nalli Nihari is a hearty poor man's dish from Lucknow, India, wherein lamb shanks are slow cooked overnight served with roti bread. This is one of those rare dishes that traveled from the homes of commoners to the royal palaces. Taking this idea, I have presented the dish as a lamb leg wellington, showcasing the journey of the dish similar to my own. Keeping technique and flavour at forefront, I believe this is who I am. The future of cuisine is how tastefully one can embrace their heritage.

My dish is based on my culinary journey: I am Indian by birth and I moved to New Zealand when I was 18 and I've been working in Tamaki Makaurau for the last 10 years, surrounded by the ocean. I want to showcase the best of seafood found in the country and also merge it with my Indian heritage in a subtle way by using dried fenugreek leaves with some of the main ingredients found in a lot of Indian food.

My dish celebrates the tradition and sustainability of the Vipava Valley. Jota made from Turnip Tropinka, served in aluminum dishes, carries the flavors and memories of the harvest. The humble Turnip Tropinka symbolizes simplicity and homeliness. Accompanying it is the skin sausage Krotegin, bread made from grape seed flour, and smoked grape seed oil. The dish blends traditional and modern techniques. Each bite evokes memories of family, vineyards, and values, connecting the past with the future

The Pig's Alms is a sacred ritual deeply rooted in our country's folklore and tradition, people have forgotten about what it means, it is supposed to be about honoring and showing gratitude toward the animal that has given his life for us to survive. I would like with this dish to bring attention to this lost respect towards nature and what it offers us.The dish's flavours represent my cultural gastronomic heritage and origins, the taste of my home,of my childhood and my memories.

Does chicken feet belong in fine dining? I'm from Međimurje, a county in northern Croatia where nothing is wasted, every ingredient has value. Through my girlfriend Candace, I discovered Guyana and Guyanese food embodying the same spirit. Our meals are carb heavy for a reason: our grandparents needed energy to work outside in fields. The connection became ""Poor People's Fine Dining."" My belief is, the value of food is not determined by its cost, but by stories, traditions, and respect behind it.

Inspired by childhood walks in the New Forest, this dish reflects my connection to seasonality, place, and craft. Venison represents both the forest and the first protein I learnt to prepare professionally at sixteen. Wild mushrooms are fully utilised, with trim transformed into a parfait to reflect a zero-waste approach. A venison ragù inside delicate pasta honours my Italian grandmother, while mushroom tea captures the aroma of the forest after rain.

I want to showcase everything i have learnt as a chef so far. I think doing a classical dish like this is unique and modern and really shows how different styles and cuisines have evolved. This really expresses how far food has come and how far i have come.

I designed this dish as a homage to my wife and the restaurant we dream of opening which will fuse our two cultures together, NZ and SA, in a fine dining setting. I wanted to pay tribute to the lineage of bakers in my family by serving this dish with a bread, 1/2 Rewena, 1/2 Mosbollejtie, baked together to become one. I chose venison as it reminds me of fond childhood memories of hunting with my family, it's filled with a farce rolled in a South African boerewors spice to further weave our story.

Since I began cooking, I have been troubled by the lack of representation of Indigenous and Latin cuisines in elevated food expressions. In this dish, I am sharing the cookery I have learned professionally, and what I have learned in the kitchen of my Abuela. Masa, the fuel of Latin American cuisine, and Poulet Farci on one plate together. I want everyone who eats this, to enjoy the complex flavors of Latin cuisine, juxtaposed with a European protein execution and plating that combines the two.

I would like to show my background in culinary arts by showcasing what I’ve learned and experienced in my time in this industry. Showcasing new American cuisine that celebrates all cultures and techniques.

The Vietnam Cookery Culture is not simply the France and China Cuisine, but it is the fusion between those Big Two Cordon Bleu that give birth to the Street Foods in Saigon. The type of “ Haute Cuisine” are available to all the people, no matter where are they from.
My Mission, is to deliver this message to Fine Dinning Table, the belief is to parade “Before Fine Dinning was born, there was Street Food”

My cuisine champions a respectful approach to ingredients and local producers. I seek to make the most of every part of the animal to reduce waste and pass on genuine culinary knowledge. Through this dish centered on pigeon, mushrooms and potato, I want diners to experience the flavors of a Belgian autumn and enjoy a vibrant tasting journey designed to showcase each preparation and tell a story over the course of the meal – all with sincerity and a spirit of sharing.

My dish embodies simplicity, honesty, and refinement with three core ingredients: mackerel, dulse, and shiitake. Inspired by my parents' bakery, where simplicity was prized, I aimed to create a refined meal with minimalism at its core. Sustainability was crucial; I sourced locally from Belgium, minimizing the food supply chain and using all by-products to reduce waste. This dish reflects both my culinary ethos and dedication to sustainable practices.

This dish reflects my journey from Taiwan to a multicultural culinary world. Inspired by Taiwan’s tradition of pairing flavors from the sea and the land. It is shaped by Korean respect for fermentation, Italian ingredient-led cooking, and Australian charcoal grilling. Today, I cook to share stories of identity and cultural exchange. In the future, I hope to create tables where food sparks conversation, creates memories, and gives travelers a taste of home.