CHEF GARRETT BROWER ANNOUNCED AS THE WINNER OF THE 6TH ANNUAL S.PELLEGRINO® YOUNG CHEF ACADEMY U.S. REGIONAL FINAL

Chef Brower will represent the U.S. at the S.Pellegrino^® Young Chef Academy Grand Finale in Milan in 2025

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The S.Pellegrino^® Young Chef Academy recognized Garrett Brower, of French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., as the winner of the competition's U.S. Regional Final, held in New York City. Chef Brower will advance to compete in the Grand Finale in Milan, Italy, in 2025.

Chef Brower was named the U.S. Regional Winner, beating nine other talented chefs with his signature dish, Quail Stuffed with Chesapeake Oysters. The dish, which exemplified the highest level of technical skill, culinary creativity, and a powerful vision that incorporated storytelling through food, won over an esteemed panel of judges that included the likes of Junghyun 'JP' Park (Atomix), Aisha Ibrahim (Canlis Restaurant), Valerie Chang (Maty's), Curtis Duffy (Ever Restaurant), and Ayesha Nurdjaja (Shuka & Shukette).

"I am so thrilled to be this year's S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy U.S. Regional Winner," said Chef Brower. "It was such an honor to cook alongside incredible young chef talent from around the country, and I'm grateful to S.Pellegrino for bringing us all together for this wonderful initiative. I will be working hard to evolve and grow as a chef over the next year ahead of the Grand Finale in Milan and am eager to cook my signature dish on the global stage in 2025."

Chef Brower will represent the U.S. at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Grand Finale in Milan next year, where he will compete against 14 other regional finalists from around the globe for the title of S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2025. Each young chef will present their dish to a distinguished judging panel of international chefs, known as the "Seven Sages," including Chef Niki Nakayama of n/naka in Los Angeles, who will be the only U.S. Sage. All finalists will be paired with a chef mentor, with Chef Brower mentored by Chef Hasung Lee, who most recently was Sous Chef at The French Laundry.

Three additional chefs were also recognized for the following awards:

• S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility – Chef Adrien Calmels
• Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy – Chef Adrien Calmels
• Fine Dining Lovers Community Award – Chef Nicolas Lopez

The winners were named at the Gala and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday evening, complete with a dinner cooked by Chef Nina Compton (Compère Lapin), previous U.S. Regional Judge (2022) and Global Mentor (2023); Chef Daniel Garwood (previously Sous Chef at world-renowned Atomix, and whose new restaurant Acru opens in New York City later this month), the 2023 U.S. Regional Winner and Global Finalist Chef Daniel Garwood; and Chef Michael Park (Foul Witch), the 2022 Acqua Panna for Connection in Gastronomy Award winner. The dinner represented each chef's personal vision for the future of gastronomy, with dishes using regenerative products, hyper-local ingredients, plant-based produce and functional foods.

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy (SPYCA) is a global initiative created by S.Pellegrino^® to discover and nurture the next generation of chefs who push the boundaries of gastronomy. SPYCA identifies the most talented young chefs from around the world through the Competition, where chefs under 30 can apply to showcase their skills, accelerate their professional development, and become connected to the world's most renowned culinary talent for mentorship and education.

Each finalist was chosen through a rigorous selection process from the team at ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts, where they reviewed chefs' backgrounds and experiences, as well as the signature dish that expresses their unique creativity and vision with the world. This year's participants included chefs from renowned restaurants including Eleven Madison Park, The French Laundry, Ōkta, Next, Indienne, and more.

For more information on S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition, visit www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com and follow along on social @sanpellegrino_us, using #SPYoungChefAcademy for news and announcements ahead of the Grand Finale.

About S.Pellegrino^® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
S.Pellegrino^® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water is a premium sparkling mineral water that flows naturally from a thermal spring in San Pellegrino Terme, near Bergamo (Lombardia). S.Pellegrino^® has a unique balance of effervescence and minerality which cleanse the palate and amplify subtle flavors, making it the perfect complement to fine food and wines. Its clean, refreshing taste has distinguished S.Pellegrino® as a preferred sparkling water by leaders of the global culinary community.

S.Pellegrino^® is a proud supporter of premier culinary programs, such as The James Beard Foundation, The World's 50 Best Restaurants, The Culinary Institute of America, The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and more. For more information, visit www.sanpellegrino.com or www.finedininglovers.com.

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SOURCE S.Pellegrino