Regional Finalists 2022-23

My favorite childhood dish is Assam Laksa. To me, the beauty of this dish is the combination of flaky fish melding together with the herbaceous, acidic, spicy, sweet umami broth with nuggets of larger sized fish meat. My version of Assam Laksa utilizes homemade traditional rempah enhanced with fish garum & fish-bone stock & laksa leaf oil with a mosaic made of Kingfish and Farce using the fish trimmings served with Ginger Flower Sorbet and Fish Skin-Yuba Tuile topped w Native Herbs and Salsa.

I consider that the food with genuine sentiments is the most delicious, but at the same time, the most challenging to make— the cuisine that tells a story. Through my cuisines, I want to share with people the story weaved by my experience of travelling, precious memories and the island have nurtured me and raised me up – Taiwan. I wish my guests, by eating the warm delicacies, can be moved and realize that their days can also be pleasant and heart-warming.

Through this dish, I want to convey the wonderful ingredients and food culture of Japan.
We also thought about garnishing the dish with shiso leaves and myoga, which are commonly used in Japan, and adding the aroma of sea bream skin chips and grilled green onions so that the dish would not become boring in terms of texture and flavor.
We also believe that the soup's consistency can be made easier to mix with rice and sea bream by using rice starch or by adding a little density to the soup.

I invent this plate in honor of the hard work of my father and my mother. My father always work in the cereal world and this is a very hard work. He gives is life to this work to make shure we miss nothing. I also put carrot because when i was young my mother have a big garden with a lot of carrots and i dont really like them at this time. Now this is one of my favorite vegetable. Also the duckling is my favorite animal proteine so that’s why i wan’t to serve them. I hope you let me show you!

Growing up in a multicultural household in Canada exposed me to diverse cuisines, fostering a deep appreciation for Canada's melting pot of cultures. My dish draws inspiration from my favourite childhood dishes, Cantonese braised pork and abalone, and Vietnamese Banh Mi, combined with my time spent in some of Canada's top restaurants, I crafted a dish merging Chinese, European, and Vietnamese flavours. I believe that this fusion embodies Canada's cultural richness on a plate.

This dish, in a nutshell, represents who I am. Not only are all the main ingredients sourced from directly here in Canada, but also the techniques used I learned (and tweaked) from all the most important restaurants I have worked. It takes humble ingredients like duck and corn and elevates them to a new level of luxury. Lastly it attempts to blur the lines between savoury and sweet dishes with the use of popcorn and shortbread. Its an artful and fun representation of who I am as a chef.

My dish is intended to showcase the colourful diversity and wonderful flavours of my homeland. The idea of my dish is based on my experiences and the various inspirations of my career. I want to put my homeland and our great produce centre stage.

With this dish I would like to express that we all have to look back sometimes when we were young and our families were cooking for us.
This dish I devote both my Grandmothers. One of them came from the Northern part of Germany that stands for the Sea part of the dish and the other Grandma came from the West part of Germany and she had a big homegrown garden. I gather two types of living and put my identity as a chef on top thus it became my Signature Dish.

Seasonality and regionality play a fundamental role for me when creating my dishes.
Going through the world with open eyes, seeing what nature has to offer, helps me tremendously when creating new 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.

I would like to present this dish because it is the first dish I have offered in a starred restaurant. It is close to my heart because it took me a lot of time and trials to achieve the expected result. In addition, it represents for me a childhood memory. Indeed, my father is a baker and pastry chef. When I was little, he made pissaladières every day. I ate it often, I always loved it. Through this dish, my wish was to sublimate my father's pissaladière.

My signature dish, 'Oceanic Revelations,' contrasts the natural color of white cod with black squid ink to symbolize the impact of sea pollution on ocean life. Fennel with green herbs and a delicate fennel sauce represents hope and the fragility of marine ecosystems. Inspired by sustainable practices, it emphasizes the importance of conscientious seafood consumption and urgently calls for the protection of our marine ecosystems for future generations.

Through this dish I wanted to put at the center of the plate a region which is rich with simple products. Sturgeon is not usually valued for its meat but for its caviar, it is not an easy fish to work, but I wanted to put it in the spotlight and use the caviar to season it only , give him back what belongs to him, with respect for the products and the producers.

Kitchen and gastronomy are my life since I was young. I move to Açores , I fell in love with the gastronomy of the region and I want to try to bring and mix the oldest traditions with new technics, new vision with my personal touch , in this way I hope to put Açores gastronomy in the map , be a reference in the culinary world . Must part of the ingredients are local.
I would like to contribute , so that traditions are not forgotten, preserve and promote the azorean traditions

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.

My favorite part of my childhood is the sea so that was my main inspira tion for this signature dish.I really want to transmite the ocean to everyone who tries the dish, especially because I'm from Viana do Castelo and we have several tradition related to the sea as getting up early and going to the beach to get seafood from the rocks.I remember the first time I tried a sea urchin, 100% sea.I want everyone to feel that flavour, that memory and get to know better Viana do Castelo by this dish.

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.

With this dish, I would like to express the concept that the replacement of animal protein with vegetable protein, allows the dish to have an equal taste, thus reducing the environmental impact, being also environmentally friendly. I hope, in this way, to succeed in approaching all food intolerances and pathologies that do not always allow the guest to feel free and involved in the free and varied choice of multiple dishes.

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.

Alma Patagonia is a creation that captures the soul of Chile´s southern territory. It is a dish that intertwines delicacies from diverse ecosystems, which vary from the depths of the sea, to lush fertile forests. This blend pays tribute to a culture that bases its cuisine on the available ingredients that Mother Earth provides, which must be used fully. Pure nature permeates through a combination of flavors and textures, and surprises the palates of adventurous gourmands.

In my childhood, my grandparents used to have Sunday family lunches and the dish I remember the most is the tongue in sauce, served with onion and coconut sauce. In my village we always accompanied the main course with bananas, even soups. That's why my interpretation was inspired by these Sundays with the family. I believe in local products and tradition, raising the level of the products of my village with modern techniques without losing the traditional flavour.

For this contest I wanted to create a dish that had the essence of my country. For this, use several products that are not commonly used in Colombian haute cuisine but giving them a transformation, respecting their essence that reaches all palates, extolling their properties. All these foods have a great importance in the daily food of Colombians and by including them on my plate they can show the world the diversity that characterizes us as a country.

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.
 

The idea of the dish is from my hometown, Xinjiang, which is famous for its tasty lamb. The sheep live in the mountains where the sea-buckthorn and pleurotus grow. To bring the scenery of my hometown, I put them together in the plate. Besides, I also want to introduce the diet and cooking culture to more people in the world. We hardly waste any part of an animal as a respect of the nature, and cook each part separately to make the best use of it. Thrift and sustainability are notably important in this age, I wish I could arouse more attention on them.

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 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.

With this dish, I want to show that worldly flavors can be achieved with products from our own country or region, promoting sustainability and supporting local farmers and suppliers. This dish is entirely based on vegetables and fruits, and contains no animal products. By doing this, we challenge ourselves and demonstrate that the same flavors can be achieved without using animal ingredients.

My culinary journey starts at the outbreak of the covid pandemic. Finding myself at a crossroad, I chose to go back to the roots and enroll in a French culinary program. There I discovered a passion for the arts. Meeting my mentor Chef Mathew Leong was my next career milestone. This dish represents my journey, as well as my identity. Cooking with high quality Norwegian produce, using french technics with an asian twist. I wish to show that all goals are reachable, even with a late start.ano

This dish is called Analogy from the river. The concept is an accumulation of values and experiences I have as a chef. This dish is my expression of my ethnicity on a plate. I intend to integrate applications of tradition and how it can stay resilient despite my migration to the other side of the world. I embrace this because this is what inspires me to visualize the futures potential to sustain life’s practices more than just the gastronomy.

Through this dish, I aim to showcase the harmonious blend of traditional Thai flavors with modern culinary techniques. It represents my journey and growth as a chef, guided by experienced mentors. The dish maintains the authentic taste and essence of Thai cuisine while incorporating innovative elements, reflecting a fusion of heritage and contemporary artistry. It tells a story of respect for tradition, creativity, and my passion for bringing a fresh perspective to classic recipes.

Through this dish, I wanted to link my 2 countries of affection which are France, my country of origin, and Australia, the country that welcomes me.
For this, there was no question of importing products from Europe, nowadays I believe that it is up to our generation to limit the environmental impact through our cuisine.
So I looked for products grown and appreciated in each of the two countries, I then selected them individually from local producers, every single product comes from Queensland.

This dish stems from the global need to change the fine dining concept. I believe that the process of dining in a restaurant should be more educational, interestin and enjoyable for guests, with the help of other arts such as theatrical. With this dish, I will conjure up a performance about Sava Savanović, the first Serbian vampire, and country i came from, with the fact that in dish food will play the main role, where each segment of the dish will tell its own part of the story in this play.

Working in Mano2, the initiative behind micro seasonality, zero waste and preserving food and flavor through various fermentation techniques began the concept behind this dish. The inspiration behind the story comes from the fall season in continental Croatia where there is a rich abundance of various mushrooms, wild herbs and vegetables. We have showcased them using techniques seen in Mano2 which have preserved and fully expressed its soul purpose while also using the ingredients as a whole.

I discovered my passion for food at an early age while watching my mother create meals . Seeing how much enthusiasm you can put in to each dish drew me in. A local favorite is the Octopus. Coming from a small island in the mediterranean reminds me of how grateful we should be for finding fresh local produce. A main ingredient that i kept constantly on my menu. It reminds me of my childhood when my mum used to slow cook it for a Sunday lunch.

“Bringing the beauty of this world to the plate” is the message I would like to convey with this ‘pop art’ style dish.My most memorable encounter with the courgette is that of seeding on a courgette farm. This exercise peaked my interest in where produce comes from, how it’s grown and how to best represent that in a dish.The courgette is simple; yet when used correctly, it can add beauty and freshness to a dish.

As a Korean chef in London, this dish reflects my identity. In this diverse city, culinary boundaries dissolve, blending local UK ingredients with staples from my homeland. Signature ingredients like kimchi, Korean miso paste, Jeju bracken, and Makgeolli create a fusion that's both familiar and innovative. This dish also showcases the seafood expertise I've developed as a fish chef. From precise techniques to selected marinades, every element shows my dedication and passion for seafood cuisine.

Through a desire to seek out and understand culture outside of my own, I have been able discover so much about myself and the food I want to create. I am inspired by the flavours/methods of the world, and I want to use what I have discovered by cooking delicious food without boundaries. Ode to Sam Yee is an homage to my partner who has shared her culture with me. This dish combines Chinese flavours with my classically trained French cooking methods. This is about creating new traditions.

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.

I have always been inspired by the way my family in Greece and Italy embrace food, especially coastal fare. In my professional career I have learned so much more about traditional French and Japanese technique, and through this dish, I have found an all encompassing way to convey my passion for food.

With the current climate crisis that we are faced I would use this opportunity to further educate the greater population on the roles that farmers and fishermen play in our global economy as well as teach about land management and our auricularly impact. Often this population is misrepresented by factory farming and I think my personal connection (growing up on farms and fishing boats) will give me a unique opportunity to put the farmers on the main stage versus the cook.

My dish is an initiation, a journey through a memory, a reminiscence. One day I went with my grandfather into the forest, I was young, that's when nature opened up to me. My dish will tell this story, starting with a simple trace of deer that will be found in my dish, a message borrowed from
l ́essence of a lived adventure.
I want to convey the essential message that we must understand in 2022, what is the place of responsible gastronomy in Switzerland.
 

This dish represents the Italian immigration in Belgium in the 20th century, for working in the coal mines. My family is from this history. The carbonnade is Belgium, the raviolis is Italy, and the vegetable charcoal the raison of this immigration. I want to cook the pigeon “des Collines”, because it’s an exceptional product but also, it reduces the carbon foothprint instead of using beef.

With this dish, I want to express the use of poor and reusable raw materials, I have used tripe which is a popular product par excellence, bitter herbs have a very low environmental impact, and roots have always been the sustenance food of the poor.