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S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy announced the initial line-up of finalists selected for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024-25, a global initiative to discover and mentor the most talented young chefs under 30 years of age, worldwide.

Thousands of chefs from all over the world applied for the competition, inspired by the opportunity to connect and learn directly from the most influential members of the gastronomy world and to demonstrate their unique creativity and vision. Among them, 165 passed the first selection and are now ready to show their talent and passion during the various Regional Finals.

Each young chef’s application and their signature dish was evaluated by culinary experts at the World’s Leading International Educational and Training Centre for Italian Cuisine, ALMA. ALMA’s selection process hinged on three key criteria: technical skills, creativity, and a personal belief in the transformative power of gastronomy to make a positive change in society through food.

“The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition surprises us with every edition and it is not a given since we have been collaborating with them since the first edition. Candidates outdo themselves every year, guided by passion and commitment,” said Matteo Berti, Head of Education of ALMA. “The selection process was not easy, but now it's up to the shortlisted candidates to show their talents throughout the course of the competition. The best of luck to all of them!”

This group of talented young chefs will compete across 15 different regional finals around the world from September 2024 to January 2025. Regional Finals are already an incredible opportunity for exposure whereby the chefs will present their signature dishes to a local jury. As already introduced our renowned chef Jurors Bertus Basson from South Africa, Akmal Anuar from United Arab Emirates, and Roaya Saleh from Bahrain, who will have the task of selecting the winners in four award categories at the Africa, Middle East & South Asia regional event, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa in November this year.

S.Pellegrino Young Chef Award – the Local Jury of each regional competition will evaluate the presented dishes based on the three Golden Rules, selecting one young chef at each Regional Final who displays the strongest technical skills, genuine creativity, and an exceptional personal belief about gastronomy.

S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award – voted for by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, which runs Food Made Good, the largest foodservice sustainability program and global community for driving sustainability in hospitality, the winning dish will represent the principle that food is at its best when it's the result of socially responsible practices, encompassing sourcing, social and environmental requirements.

Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award – the winner of this award will produce a dish that represents the culinary heritage of the chef's native region. The dish should highlight traditional culinary practices and personal modern vision, providing a connection between the past and the future.    

Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award – voted for by Fine Dining Lovers readers, this award will be for the young chef who best represents their personal beliefs with a signature dish.

The regional winners in each of these award categories will go on to compete for the global title at the Grand Finale in 2025.

The line-up of Regional Finalists for Africa, Middle East & South Asia are:

Robin Höfer – Ossiano, Dubai, UAE
Shehab Medhat - Bold Restaurant, Accra, Ghana
Zanté Neethling - Beyond Restaurant, Cape Town, South Africa
Stefano Maffioli Ferrari - Four Seasons Hotel at Nile Plaza, Riviera Restaurant, Cairo, Egypt
David Mazareanu - Al Muntaha, Dubai, UAE
Babilesh Rajan - Farmlore, Bengaluru, India
Jason Jonker - Upper Union, Cape Town, South Africa
Monaheng Moloinyane - Badinage Restaurant, Pretoria, South Africa
Florian Guckert - Villa Fleurié, Saint-Denis, Réunion Island
Luckson Mare - The Living Room at Summerhill Estate, Durban, South Africa
Guillaume Caroupaye-Caroupin - Hotel le Tuit-tuit, Réunion Island
Mahmoud Ali - Bold Restaurant, Accra, Ghana
Chiara Romualdi - The Arts Club, Dubai, UAE
Marilé du Plessis - Rust en Vrede, Cape Town, South Africa
Kadek Bayu Darmika - Row On 45, Jason Artheton, Dubai, UAE

To discover the full global list of candidates and read more about the initiative please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com.