Sally Abe, Lisa Goodwin Allen, Jason Atherton, Claude Bosi, Sat Bains, Skye Gyngell and Francesco Mazzei have all come on board to judge finalists and support the talent of tomorrow. Selected participants for the UK competition will join the Regional Finals event that will take place on 11th and 12th October and will show their talent and compete in front of the jury.

Atherton said: “It’s a pleasure to be part of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef judging panel. Now more than ever we need to inspire and nurture the next generation of chefs and this competition helps to do just that. There is so much talent within our industry and to be able to spot and highlight these extraordinary individuals is an honour.”

S.Pellegrino’s research found that 76% of hospitality employers believe that top fine dining chefs are the biggest inspiration for young chefs, which is why S.Pellegrino works with leading chefs every year to be part of this initiative.

Bains added: “It’s so important to put the future of our industry first – and the best way to do this is by shining a spotlight on young chefs. Therefore, I am honoured and privileged to be involved – and I look forward to meeting the finalists in October.”

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition is now open for entrants, and chefs under 30 years of age have the chance to register for the competition until 30th June 2022, sharing the Signature Dish that expresses their unique creativity and vision.

The Signature Dishes will be evaluated on the basis of three ‘Golden Rules’; for each of them the jury members shall assign a score between one and ten:

• Technical skills: ability to select the finest ingredients in terms of quality, freshness and uniqueness, to obtain an excellent taste, combined with technical skills that bring out the flavours of the ingredients, whilst maintaining their original essence.
• Creativity: ability to explore original, stimulating, and innovative perspectives with a personal and contemporary style, whilst maintaining a perfect balance between flavour and aesthetic appearance.
• Personal belief: ability to communicate a clear message that summarises the ‘vision’ of their work, their vision of the world of food and their contribution to today’s society in general through food.