Chefs Alex Dilling, Adam Smith, Santiago Lastra, Lorna McNee, and Nokx Majozi have all come on board to judge finalists and support the UK’s future talent as they undertake the task of identifying the UK’s next star chef to compete in the global final in Milan next year.

Selected participants for the UK competition will join the regional finals event that will take place on 25-26th September in London where they will showcase their talent and compete in front of the jury.

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition is open for entrants, with chefs under 30 years of age encouraged to register for the competition before it closes on Wednesday 19th June 2024. 

Applicants must submit a signature dish that expresses their unique creativity and vision, which will then be assessed by ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts, before a shortlist of competitors is drawn up ahead of the regional finals.

Smith said: “The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition is an amazing opportunity for young chefs to showcase their skills, creativity and talent alongside others from around the world.

“The competition can open the door to fantastic career boosting opportunities, and it’s a real privilege to be part of the judging process for 2024. I’m extremely passionate about encouraging the next generation of our amazing industry, and I think this is a perfect way to help do so.”

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.

Winner of last year’s UK regional final, Marcus Clayton added: “Winning the last edition of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition is a real highlight in my career. The competition process from the regional final in London to competing with chefs from across the world in the global finale in Milan was an incredible experience. I’d encourage any aspiring young chef to enter the process – you won’t regret it.”

To start the application and discover more about the initiative please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/the-competition/application-form.