Will the the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 be you? be you? Find out! Applications are now open!

UPDATE 14/05/2018: The wait is over - the winner of S.Pellegrino Young Chef has finally been crowned! Discover which rising star took home the honour of winning S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 and watch all the young chefs of the competition in the 4 live streaming episodes covering the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 Grand Finale: a true display of extraordinary passion, skill and determination of the new talents in the world of gastronomy

UPDATE 01/12/2017: All the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Local Finals are now concluded and all the 21 finalists have been selected. Find out more about the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Canada finalist!

Calling all young chefs! Are you a young professional chef with a signature dish that can take you to the top? Would you like the opportunity to be a part of a global competition with individual guidance from some of the best chefs in the world? Apply online today for S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018.

In this year’s exhilarating edition, S.Pellegrino will offer talented young chefs from around the globe the opportunity to develop their skills while being mentored by a top chef and gaining valuable professional visibility.

Chefs from around the world, aged 30 or under, with at least one year of work experience as a chef, sous chef or chef de partie, are invited to compete using their signature dish that will be tasted by a jury of seven world-renowned chefs, who will ultimately crown the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018.

Last year’s spectacular second edition saw over 3,000 professional young chefs apply from around the globe, with USA’s Mitch Lienhard, under Dominique Crenn’s mentorship, claiming the prestigious title: “The experience has provided many unforgettable moments so far, and I am thankful for the impact the title will have in my career."

Below you will find all of the information regarding the exciting stages of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 competition. Be sure to apply online with your signature dish to start your international culinary journey today.

PHASE ONE – ONLINE REGISTRATION 

From February 1 to April 30, 2017, young chefs around the world, aged 30 years or younger, have the opportunity to submit an application in conjunction with their signature dish. Be sure to check the updated competition rules to verify your eligibility.

This year, applications will be accepted in a number of different languages, including:

• English
• ​French
• Italian
• Spanish and
• Mandarin (Only for China – full registration can be sent in Chinese Mandarin to: sanpellegrinoYoungChefChina@waters.nestle.com)

English will remain the official language throughout the competition and during the Grand Finale in order to expedite the application process.

PHASE TWO - SELECTION OF LOCAL FINALISTS 

Beginning June 1, 2017, all qualified candidates will be divided into 21 regions based on the applicant’s geographic region. Submissions will then be evaluated by ALMA, the world’s leading international educational and training centre for Italian Cuisine, which will select the top 10 semi-finalists from each geographic region, according to five “Golden Rules”:

1. INGREDIENTS: Ability to select the best ingredients that the market can offer in terms of quality, freshness and uniqueness, in order to achieve an excellence of taste.

2. SKILL: Ability to work with raw materials and turn them into a dish that respects their original essence.

3. GENIUS: Ability to explore new, challenging, and innovative perspectives in relation to the culture of fine cuisine with a personal and contemporary style, while maintaining a perfect equilibrium of taste.

4. BEAUTY: Dish presentation, giving an aesthetic enhancement of its contents.

5. MESSAGE: Ability to communicate a clear message through one's work and vision.

PHASE THREE – LOCAL COMPETITIONS 2017 

From June 7 to December 31, 2017, the 10 selected semi-finalists from each of the 21 designated geographic areas will compete in a semi-finals round, where live competitions will be held in each region. During this round, the semi-finalists will be required to cook their signature dishes for an exclusive regional jury composed of independent top chefs who will evaluate the presented dishes based on the five Golden Rules and thereafter select a winner.

By the end of December 2017, 21 young chefs from around the globe will be announced as official finalists, who will proceed to the world finals in Milan, Italy.

Each finalist will be assigned a mentor chef (a member of their regional jury), who will provide guidance on how to improve their signature dishes and support them as they prepare for the finals.

PHASE FOUR - THE GRAND FINALE OF S.PELLEGRINO YOUNG CHEF 2018 

In May 2018, all 21 young chef finalists will gather in Milan for the Grand Finale event hosted by S.Pellegrino. The chefs will compete for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 title, with the winner selected by the international “Seven Sages” panel of judges.

Be sure to follow all of the action on our social channels using #SPYoungChef.

Note: Dates may change as required