Meet the Regional Winners of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2026–27
Follow the Regional Finals and discover the winners as they are announced around the world.
Across 15 regions, the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2026–27 is entering one of its most exciting phases: the Regional Finals. Around the world, the regional finalists are presenting their signature dishes to the Local Juries, bringing together technical skills, creativity and a personal vision of gastronomy.
Each Regional Final will select one winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award, who will go on to represent their region at the Grand Finale in Milan in 2027. There, the finalists will present their signature dish to the Global Jury, for the chance to be named the best young chef in the world.
The collateral awards
Alongside the main award, three collateral awards will also be assigned in each region, celebrating different dimensions of contemporary gastronomy.
The S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award is voted for by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), a global organization dedicated to driving positive social and environmental change in hospitality since 2019. The prize recognizes a dish that represents food at its best: the result of socially responsible practices, from sourcing to environmental impact. Dishes are assessed according to eight criteria: resource use, climate impact, biodiversity, food waste, nutrition, collaboration, advocacy and innovation.
The Fine Dining Lovers Award, voted for by the Fine Dining Lovers Insiders – a panel of journalists and industry experts from the Fine Dining Lovers network – celebrates a dish that best expresses the chef’s personal belief and has the potential to inspire a wider audience. The dishes are evaluated according to originality, message and appeal.
The Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award, voted for by the Mentors, recognizes a dish that represents the culinary heritage of the chef’s region, combining traditional practices with a personal, modern vision and creating a connection between past and future.
Follow the Regional Finals
From Latin America & Caribbean to North Europe, each Regional Final brings a new perspective on the future of gastronomy. As the competition travels across regions, this page will gather the winners, their dishes and the stories behind them.
LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
PACIFIC
UK
MAINLAND OF CHINA
CENTRAL EUROPE
CANADA
SOUTH-EAST EUROPE & MEDITERRANEAN
Ana Flavia Batista Graciolli, representing Brazil, is the first Regional Winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2026–27, following her victory at the Latin America & Caribbean Regional Final held in Panama City, Panama, on September 29.
The chef stood out with Grandma’s Corn, a signature dish rooted in memory, place, and transformation. Built around corn as a symbol of abundance, tradition, and belonging, the creation celebrates family ties and culinary heritage, as explained by the winner herself: “This is a very special award for me. Corn has a deep emotional meaning in my childhood, because of the corn festivals I experienced with my family and, above all, because of my grandmother. Being able to carry that memory with me, first to Latin America and now with the opportunity to represent Brazil and Latin America & the Caribbean before the whole world, means so much to me. It is a great honor to share a little of my story and of our gastronomy through this dish.”
Her dish won over the Local Jury, composed of Jaime David Rodríguez Camacho, Luiz Filipe Souza, Marsia Taha Mohamed, Jaime Pesaque, and Alejandra Navarro, who selected Graciolli as the young chef to represent her region at the Grand Finale in Milan. Her personal vision and creativity also earned her the Fine Dining Lovers Award.
The two remaining collateral awards recognized two different interpretations of the region’s culinary landscape. Kevin Chavez Cazarin, representing Mexico, won the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for Entre el mar y el traspatio, a dish inspired by the sea, the land, and the local communities of the Yucatán Peninsula. Diego Ramirez, representing Colombia, received the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award for Pachamanca, a tribute to Colombian home cooking, built around ingredients and traditions from different regions of the country.
From left to right: Ana Flavia Batista Graciolli; Ana Flavia Batista Graciolli with her mentor, Mirela Rafaneli Peres Santos; Kevin Chavez Cazarin; Diego Ramirez.
At the Pacific Regional Final, held in Sydney, Australia, on October 12 and 13, Kimberly Tang, representing Australia, won both the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award and the Fine Dining Lovers Award.
Tang stood out with Before Sustainability Was a Trend, a dish that reflects how Asian food cultures have long embodied sustainability through preservation, seasonality, and respect for ingredients. Guided by her Asian heritage and Australian upbringing, the creation brings together biodiversity, whole-animal utilization, and cultural continuity, reinterpreting traditional principles through a contemporary lens.
Speaking after her win, Tang said: “I would like to thank S.Pellegrino for always believing in young chefs, as well as my mentor, Thi Le. This was my second time as a Pacific finalist – and my final year as a competitor – so I really didn’t expect to win.”
The Local Jury, composed of Dan Hong, Ross Lusted, Karen Martini, Alanna Sapwell, Analiese Gregory, James Cole Bowen, and Clinton McIver, selected Tang as the young chef who will represent the Pacific region at the Grand Finale in Milan.
The remaining collateral awards also celebrated Australian chefs, each bringing a distinct perspective on place, heritage, and responsibility. Dian Sheng won the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for Tide & Grain: confit coral trout, fish-wrapped ravioli, coastal greens and rice broth emulsion, a dish rooted in native ingredients, coastal produce, and respect for natural cycles. Jamie Musgrave received the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award for West Australian shellfish, a trip home, a tribute to Western Australia’s coastline, lesser-known native botanicals, and local shellfish traditions.
From left to right: Kimberly Tang; Kimberly Tang with the Pacific local jury; Jamie Musgrave; and Dian Sheng
On October 14, the UK Regional Final took place at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Vasyl Fysiuk, representing the United Kingdom, won the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award with his signature dish, Becoming, to this day...
A reflection on identity and personal growth, Fysiuk's creation reinterprets culinary traditions through the experiences and techniques that have shaped him as a chef. At the heart of his approach lies a deep respect for ingredients, exploring their individual character and potential through layers of flavour and texture.
His dish impressed the Local Jury, composed of Angelo Sato, Sally Abé, Paul Ainsworth, Will Murray, Emily Roux, Chantelle Nicholson, and Stuart Ralston, who selected him as his region’s representative at the Grand Finale.
The collateral awards brought a double win for Lesley Serrao, who received both the Fine Dining Lovers Award and the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award for A Sunday at Veronica’s. Inspired by his childhood in a Mangalorean Catholic family in Mumbai, the dish revisits the Sunday breakfasts prepared in his mother Veronica’s kitchen, celebrating family memories and culinary heritage. Benedict Shimwell won the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for Wild Boar, Apples and Beer, a tribute to Herefordshire’s local produce and farmers, reflecting his commitment to sustainable, low-waste cooking.
From left to right: Vasyl Fysiuk with his S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award and celebrating his win; Benedict Shimwell with the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award; Lesley Serrao with his two awards alongside his mentor, Ashis Bogam.
A creative reinterpretation of one of China's most familiar ingredients earned Wang Ming Zhao the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award at the Mainland of China Regional Final. The competition took place at Le Cordon Bleu in Shanghai on October 27, with the winners announced later that evening at Bellagio by MGM Shanghai. For his signature dish, Eastern curd, the young chef also received the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award.
Exploring the dialogue between Eastern and Western culinary traditions, Zhao's creation celebrates the versatility of soybeans, a cornerstone of Chinese cuisine. From freshly prepared soy milk and delicate tofu skin to fish paired with flavours inspired by traditional Chinese cooking, the dish combines contemporary techniques with an approach focused on minimising food waste, making use of ingredients that might otherwise be discarded. Rooted in his appreciation for local, seasonal ingredients, the creation also reflects Zhao's ambition to share his culinary heritage with a wider audience.
The Local Jury, composed of Yu Bin, Lee Jia Wei, Liu Jason and Sven Wunram, praised Zhao's ability to connect tradition and innovation. As chef Yu Bin commented, the dish represents “a dialogue between culinary cultures - deeply rooted in tradition, yet expressed through a language that resonates internationally.”
Two other chefs were recognised with collateral awards. De Wei Li received the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award for Back to Cooking, a dish that shifts the focus from visual presentation back to the essence of cooking: flavour, technique and the pleasure of eating. The Fine Dining Lovers Award went to Zheng Gao Luo for Peony Yan Cai (Peony Swallow Dish), a reinterpretation of a traditional Henan speciality once served at state banquets, celebrating culinary heritage and craftsmanship through a contemporary approach.
From left to right: Wang Ming Zhao; Zheng Gao Luo; the Local Juror Sven Wumram with De Wei Li, Lee Jia Wei, and Yu Bin; and the Mainland of China Regional Finalists.
Nicolas Dekimpe had two reasons to celebrate in Frankfurt on October 27. Representing Austria at the Central Europe Regional Final, the chef received both the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award and the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award for his signature dish, Nomadic Chef, The taste of becoming. Both the competition and the awards ceremony took place at Nestlé House, in the cooking facilities of Nestlé Professional and Maggi.
Drawing on his experiences from the Belgian North Sea to kitchens across Europe, Dekimpe places langoustine at the heart of a story about memory, discovery and identity. His creation reflects a culinary philosophy that favours clarity over complexity, where true refinement lies not in adding more, but in understanding what deserves to remain.
The Local Jury, composed of Christian Bau, Andreas Krolik, Martin Stopp, Julia A. Leitner and Nathalie Leblond, selected Dekimpe to represent Central Europe at the Grand Finale in Milan.
Germany also celebrated a double success in the collateral awards, with two chefs whose dishes told very different stories. Kateryna Boniakevych received the Fine Dining Lovers Award for Roots beyond borders, an homage to her Ukrainian roots and life in Germany, expressed through venison, seasonal forest ingredients and a zero-waste approach. Catharina Feuchtmayr won the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for Last Generation?, a reflection on the decline of traditional inns and their importance to local communities, honouring simple cooking, craftsmanship and culinary traditions.
From left to right: Nicolas Dekimpe and his mentor Sören Herzig; Catharina Feuchtmayr; Kateryna Boniakevych; and all the Central Europe Regional Finalists
Canada named its regional winner in Toronto, following the Regional Final on October 27 and 28. The Local Jury, composed of Briana Kim, Quinton Bennett and Daniel Hadida, awarded Tengis Battur the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award for his signature dish, “Steppe” in the Spring, securing his place at the Grand Finale in Milan. The competition took place at George Brown College, with the winners announced at an awards ceremony at Hotel X Toronto.
Drawing on his Mongolian heritage and his experience working in Canadian fine dining, Battur's creation takes inspiration from the hospitality of the traditional Mongolian ger. His dish reflects a personal philosophy of adapting to new cultures and experiences while remaining connected to his roots, expressing his ambition to shape the future of Mongolian cuisine on the world stage.
The collateral awards also brought a double victory for Jungun Yang, who received both the Fine Dining Lovers Award and the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award for Tides between two shores – A Haenyeo Story: From Busan to Vancouver. Inspired by her experiences in the two coastal cities, the dish explores the connection between Korean culinary heritage and the Pacific Northwest through seafood, kim (seaweed) and contemporary techniques. Kalyan Chakraborty won the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for Ontario Rabbit and Everything It Ate for Dinner, a dish highlighting local sourcing and respect for ingredients, pairing Ontario rabbit with locally grown vegetables and embracing a whole-animal approach.
From left to right: Tengis Battur; Kalyan Chakraborty; and Jungun Yang
Maltese culinary heritage took centre stage in Bucharest, Romania, where Martina Bonello, representing Malta, claimed both the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award and the Fine Dining Lovers Award at the South-East Europe & Mediterranean Regional Final, held on October 26 and 27. The competition took place at CulinaryOn, with the winners announced at the awards ceremony at Fratelli Studio.
Her signature dish, Echoes of Malta: Rabbit, prawn and wild aromatics, explores the connection between land and sea through traditional Maltese flavours and contemporary techniques. Featuring glazed rabbit loin, a barley-koji-marinated rabbit leg and a rabbit offal pie inspired by pastizzi, the creation celebrates the island's culinary heritage.
The Local Jury, composed of Bence Dalnoki, Letizia Vella, Alexandros Tsiotinis, Mădălina Roman, and Hrvoje Kroflin, selected Bonello to represent the region at the Grand Finale in Milan. Speaking after her victory, the young chef expressed her gratitude: “I would like to thank the jury and my mentor, Chef Steve Scicluna, for guiding me through the process.”
Rounding out the collateral awards, David Halilović, representing Croatia, received the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for The Textures of Land and Sea, a dish that puts the humble onion centre stage alongside turbot, chicken, razor clams and chanterelles. Asterios Karaiskos, representing Greece, won the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award for A Rabbit, A Memory, A Journey, a contemporary take on his grandmother’s rabbit stew that combines childhood memories with a sustainable, whole-animal approach.
From left to right: Martina Bonello; Asterios Karaiskos and David Halilović.
