S.Pellegrino Names Regional Semi-Finalists of Young Chef Awards 2015

S.Pellegrino has named the ten regional semi-finalists of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Awards 2015.

The winner of the semi-finals will be awarded the regional title and go on to compete against 20 other global Young Chef finalists at the S.Pellegino Young Chef Awards 2015 at Expo Milano in June 2015.

More than 3,000 young chefs submitted their application together with their signature dish for a chance to participate in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Awards 2015, the global scouting project to find the world’s best young chefs.

ALMA, a leading international educational and training centre for Italian Cuisine, selected ten semi-finalists from each region according to five rules: ingredients, skills, genius, beauty and message.

The regional semi-finalists of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Awards 2015 will compete in front of a judging panel made up of three leading Asian-based chefs passionate about emerging talent and keen to help support young chefs in both their kitchens and out.

Chef Alvin Leung, famed for his new cuisine which he calls ‘X-Treme Chinese,’ runs both the three Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, and the one Michelin-starred Bo London in the UK. He is joined by Chef Richard Ekkebus, famous in Hong Kong for the two Michelin-starred Amber at The Landmark Mandarin in Hong Kong and Jungsik Yim, the two Michelin-starred creator the ‘New Korean’ school of cooking at his eponymous restaurants in Seoul and New York.

Chef Richard Ekkebus, said, “There is no doubt that competing on this level as a young chef is beneficial and enhances one’s skill set, enabling you to handle stress better in the future, and most importantly prepare you for the next step in your career. As a judge, I look positively back on my experiences in similar competitions, and am excited to have the opportunity to provide feedback to these young chefs, who could be tomorrow’s next big thing!”

For the Central – Northern East Asia region, the regional ten semi-finalists of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Awards 2015 selected include:

1. Lo Chun Ho, Jacky, Chef de Partie, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
2. Francesco Di Marzio, Chef de Partie, Amber at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental
3. Dae-Hyun Yoon, Sous Chef, Soigne Seoul, South Korea
4. Hun Hyoung Lee, Chef de Partie, Soigne Seoul
5. Bongjae Choi, Chef de Partie, Sous Marin, South Korea
6. Hyungkyu Jun, Chef de Partie, Sous Marin, South Korea
7. Doochan Kim, Sous Chef, Bogosipda, South Korea
8. Hyeongjin Kim, Chef de Partie, Cornerstone at Park Hyatt Seoul, South Korea
9. Jeongho Kim, Chef, Jungsik Seoul, South Korea
10. Jinyong Park, Chef de Partie, Zero Complex, South Korea.

The regional finalist of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Awards 2015 will be sent to Expo Milano, Italy, for a chance to win against the 20 best Young Chefs from the competition’s 20 regions including:

1. Italy
2. France
3. Germany-Austria
4. Switzerland
5. Spain-Portugal
6. UK-Ireland
7. Russia/Baltics/CIS (ex Soviet union)
8. Scandinavia (Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark)
9. East Europe
10. BeNeLux
11. Med Countries
12. USA
13. Canada
14. Africa-Middle East
15. Latin America - Caribbean
16. Pacific (Australia/NZ/Pacific Islands)
17. China
18. Japan
19. North East & Central Asia
20. Southern - East Asia 

The judging panel at the final in Italy will be made up of seven internationally renowned chefs including Gastón Acurio, Yannick Alléno, Massimo Bottura, Margot Janse, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Éric Ripert and Joan Roca.