Save
The excitement is building in the final months ahead of the Grand Finale of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy 2019-2021, due to take place in Milan on 28 - 30 October. So we're taking the opportunity to highlight this competition's young chef winners of the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility.
Each of the twelve young chef award winners from around the world (listed below) was voted for by Food Made Good, the internationally recognised voice on sustainability in food. The votes were based on the signature dish that each of them presented during the regional finals, for the dish that best represented the principle that 'food is best when it is the result of sustainable practices'.
All of the winners of this award will also be invited to attend the Grand Finale, alongside the regional winners, affording them another opportunity to network with some of the biggest names in gastronomy from around the globe.
Here's a reminder of each of the chefs, their winning signature dishes, and some takeaway ideas from each on some of the most valuable sustainable practices to adopt as a chef.
S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy 2021: S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility
Kezia Kristel, Australia
Signature dish: “Experiencing mushrooms in flavours and savoury carrot tart”
Kezia Kristel, from Sydney in Australia, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Pacific Region.
"Separate your bins; the food wastage one and the regular bin for mixed waste. I guess this is one of the easiest practice & simple care in the kitchen we can do towards the environment."
Muhammad Afif Adnanta Nasution, Indonesia
Signature dish: “Smoked Java Mackerel with Batak sauce"
Muhammad Afif Adnanta Nasution from Bali, in Indonesia, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Asia Region.
"A chef should understand the character of their own nature and try to discover and gather resources from it, such as herbs, spices, vegetables and animals and also knowing the cycle of life in the environment. Through this process, chefs may learn how to effectively cultivate the land while efficiently processing it in the kitchen."
Mengxin Zhou, Spain
Signature dish: “The Trout – Schubert”
Mengxin Zhou, from Igualada in Spain, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Iberian & Mediterranean Region.
"I respect the ingredients. We make full use of fish, its dried meat as salt, we cook all of its parts including the head which we pressure cook to achieve different textures."
Sebastián Pinzón Giraldo, Colombia
Signature dish: “Cured fish 'Jurel' with green mango spaghetti, lacto fermented mandarin lemon and cold infusion of sour guava”
Sebastián Pinzón Giraldo from Cartagena, Colombia, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Latin America Region.
"Create a real ambient awareness and understand all the environmental problems humans generate to earth, and realise that the most important thing is to start to be coherent from home, through our restaurants, kitchen and family staff."
Jana Stöger, Germany
Signature dish: “As a child in Tirol”
Jana Stöger, from Stuttgart in Germany, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Central Europe Region.
"Not just as a cook, in general: with open eyes and ears exploring the region where you live. Which products are native? What does the current season offer? And what can I possibly get from the farmer next door?"
Ivan Kamenev, Russian Federation
Signature dish: “I found that in the garden"
Ivan Kamenev, from Moscow in the Russian Federation, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Euro Asia Region.
"Respect what we can receive from nature, then we can learn the new smart ways of working. And that's good if we are curious and open to new ideas - go to the market, farms, fields or forests and search for something new."
Kitano Yurika, France
Signature dish: “Spring is everywhere in Normandy”
Kitano Yurika, from Paris, France, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the North West Europe.
"We must impose geographical restrictions and not waste any product to develop its creativity."
Callan Austin, South Africa
Signature dish:“The Ghost Net"
Callan Austin, Sous Chef at Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic, Cape Town, South Africa, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Africa & Middle East Region.
"Find intuitive ways to reduce plastic waste and excessive water use. Collaborate with local suppliers to source sustainable and ethical produce, and find ways to utilise your food waste in fertilisers to give back to your suppliers. The goal is to create a successful cycle through mindfulness in the workplace."
Davide Marzullo, Italy
Signature dish:“Aubergine in black tie”
Davide Marzullo, of Como, Italy, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Italy & South East Europe Region.
"Use non-luxury ingredients: not too many 'frills' are needed to be a great chef. We must be more and more open-minded, to the point of being able to use simple ingredients and profit from them as much as using a rich ingredient."
Kathryn Ferries, Canada
Signature dish: “Forest honey glazed rabbit Ballotine with fennel Chanterelles and mustard greens”
Kathryn Ferries, from Ottawa, Canada, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the North America Region.
"The most important step is recognising what you can accomplish immediately and then work towards the bigger picture, and the long term goals of seeing a balanced, sustainable food system for this generation and the next."
Pippa Lovell, Isle of Man
Signature dish:“What she found”
Pippa Lovell, from Port Erin in the Isle of Man, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the UK & North Europe Region.
"For me, the best way is to only use ingredients I can find within walking distance of my restaurant because only then am I truly respecting the seasons again."
Pin-Jui Su, Taiwan
Signature dish: “After rain”
Pin-Jui Su, from Taipei, Taiwan, was the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility winner for the Greater China Region.
"I hope to let guests appreciate Taiwanese cuisine from a different angle, focusing more on ingredients themselves, rather than scent, and enjoying the delicateness of the cuisine with the presentation of nature, providing a true 'in the ground' but subversive dining experience."
