Grooming the next generation of chefs
Platforms such as the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy help young talent to rise to the next level
[SEOUL] For up-and-coming chefs looking to get a leg up in their career – or a major reality check – few platforms offer an experience like the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy (Spyca), which is like Culinary Class Wars for the eager but untested.
Spearheaded by mineral water brand San Pellegrino, the biennial competition pits young chefs from around the world against each other in a series of regional contests, with the winners going on to the global finals to fight for the title of Spyca Young Chef of the Year.
The competition complements The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list – of which San Pellegrino is also the main sponsor – which celebrates the top restaurants globally and also has regional equivalents. The objective for Spyca, which was launched in 2015, “is to identify the world’s best young chefs and give them the global visibility and connections they otherwise might not have access to”, says Roberto Caroni, San Pellegrino’s Asia-Pacific zone director.
That means pairing the young talents with mentor chefs who guide them on everything from refining recipes to cooking techniques, as well as provide them with moral support. Some 3,000 chefs from more than 70 countries applied to compete in the 2024/2025 edition, before the number was whittled down to 165 regional finalists. Just 15 chefs will continue to the grand finals in Milan this October.
As a precursor to the event, Asian finalists gathered in Seoul in March with their mentors and judges for a showcase of their dishes, as well as a discussion on the region’s growing visibility as a culinary hub.
The 2024/2025 winner for Asia was Indonesian-Canadian chef Ardy Ferguson of Hong Kong’s Belon restaurant – while Singapore’s contender William Yee of Labyrinth took home a consolation “Connection in Gastronomy” award for his focus on culinary heritage.
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Singapore chefs triumph
Singapore is the top performer at Spyca, having won four out of the six regional editions, says Caroni. The inaugural 2015 regional contest was won by now-veteran chef Kirk Westaway, who helms the two-Michelin-starred Jaan by Kirk Westaway and is also a Spyca mentor.
Burnt Ends alumnus Jake Kellie followed up in 2017, while Kevin Wong – who now runs the one-Michelin-starred Seroja – won in 2019. In 2022, former Naeum chef Ian Goh took the top spot for the region, and also placed in the top three globally that year. Wong did the same in 2019.
Goh, a Singaporean, is now a culinary arts lecturer at the Institute of Technical Education. He says: “Winning was a real turning point for me. It set me apart from being just another cook in the system and gave me a platform to grow. I had the opportunity to meet Michelin-starred chefs from around the world, who gave me valuable insights, especially on global challenges like staffing shortages and how the industry can better attract new talent.”
While the exposure brought business opportunities, he sees himself more as an educator. “One of the topics brought up a lot was sustainability. But I realised that it’s not just about being eco-conscious; it also applies to the people behind the food. The sustainability of staff – their well-being, growth and fulfilment.”
This is especially so in the current economic climate, where the food and beverage industry is going through a major shake-up – not just in Singapore but in the rest of the world. “One of the biggest challenges young Singaporean chefs face today is matching their passion for food with the realities of the industry,” adds Goh.
“The expectations and pressure on young chefs these days are much higher than before,” says Caroni. “With evolving consumer expectations (around) shorter, more personalised and unique meal experiences, there is now an increasing need for young chefs to play the role of a ‘storyteller’, to express their individual culinary identity against the backdrop of a culinary scene that is increasingly embracing diversity.”
He adds: “The growing emphasis on sustainability also means a need to promote environmentally conscious food systems and healthy eating habits, while staying true to their beliefs.”
Read the (dining) room
Speaking at the Seoul event, mentor and juror Richie Lin of Mume in Taipei notes that the three- to four-hour fine dining experience has become a thing of the past. “The younger generation has a shorter attention span, and this is going to change the way we run restaurants.”
“It’s all about changing and adapting, giving some freedom back to the customers by letting them control how much they want to eat,” he adds. “Alcohol consumption is also dropping, especially with the younger generation, who don’t want to drink at all. So you want to give options.”
“Balancing what we want to cook and what diners want is always a tussle,” adds fellow mentor Han Li Guang of Labyrinth. “For example, ‘locavorism’ is laudable, but what if the local produce isn’t good enough? I used to be very focused on local products, but that has reduced over the years.
“Do you want customers to eat your philosophy or just dine? A lot of young chefs jump on this bandwagon (of going local). But they need to think about it. Do local if the quality justifies it – not because it’s local and you want to market it as such.”
Meanwhile, Spyca continues its role while evolving with the times, says Caroni. “We believe in the power of taste and creativity to transform lives.”
And for young chefs like Law Jia-Jun, chef-owner of Province who also took part in this year’s Spyca but did not place, the experience itself was invaluable. “It challenges chefs to go beyond the familiar, to innovate and improve under pressure,” he says.
“It cultivates a sense of community, and without a platform like this, many of us would never have had an opportunity to meet. The environment of mutual learning and high standards in such competitions is also great for our professional development.”
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