S.Pellegrino® Young Chef 2016 Competition Announces U.S. Finalists And Acclaimed Judging Panel

STAMFORD, Conn., May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water today announced the ten U.S. finalists in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2016 competition. The group of talented young chefs will compete in July in New York City and the winner will continue on to the global challenge, held in October in Milan.

S.Pellegrino also announced the panel of esteemed chef judges who will be responsible for determining which young chef will advance to the global competition in Milan. The panel includes: Dominique Crenn, of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, New York City-based chefs Emma Bengtsson of Aquavit, Bryce Shuman of Betony and Alex Stupak of Empellón, and the 2015 Young Chef U.S. finalist Vinson Petrillo of Zero George Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Dominique Crenn will also serve as the 2016 chef mentor and will accompany the U.S. winner to the global competition.

This year, more than 3,000 chefs from across the globe applied for the chance to compete. The S.Pellegrino Young Chef semifinalists were carefully chosen by a panel of culinary experts from ALMA, the world's leading international school of Italian cuisine. Each nominee submitted an original dish and was evaluated in accordance with the five "Golden Rules" - ingredients, skills, genius, beauty, and message.

The top 10 U.S. finalists are:

• André Cardé, Oak Avenue Catering, Saint Helena, CA
• David Fisher, Kat and Theo, New York, NY
• Sivakumar Gopalakrishnan, Le Cirque, New York, NY
• Bradley Kilgore, Alter, Miami, FL
• Nathanial Kuester, The Cecil, New York, NY
• Mitch Lienhard, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
• Jack Moore, The Black Pig, Cleveland, OH
• Kwame Onwuachi, The Shaw Bijou, Washington, DC  
• Victor Rosado, Mi Casa by Jose Andres, Dorado, PR
• Joshua Walbolt, Morimoto Asia, Orlando, FL

"We are dedicated to supporting emerging young talent and we are proud to be able to partner with such a respected group of chef judges to help guide and support these young chefs," said Adaora Ugokwe, Senior Marketing Manager for S.Pellegrino.  "The competitors in the 2015 Young Chef competition featured a high level of creativity and culinary expertise, so we are excited to see what this year's U.S. finalists will serve up."

The U.S. regional competition will take place on July 26, 2016 at Astor Center in New York City. Each chef contestant will produce his or her signature dish to be judged by the aforementioned panel of renowned culinary judges. One chef will be named the winner and move on to the final, global competition.

At the Young Chef Grand Finale, held in Milan October 13 – 15, 2016, young chef finalists from twenty regions across the globe will present their signature dishes to a jury of seven distinguished international chefs, also known as the "Seven Sages", comprised of Chefs Carlo Cracco, Mauro Colagreco, David Higgs, Gaggan Anand, Elena Arzak, Wylie Dufresne and Roberta Sudbrack. The winning chef contestant will be named S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2016.  

The "S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2016" competition promotes creative expression and innovation within the culinary industry and showcases the brand's commitment to supporting emerging culinary talent all over the world.

To see the complete list of global chef finalists or for more information on the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2016 Competition, visit: https://www.finedininglovers.com/

Be sure to follow the #SPYoungChef for up to date news and announcements on the competition. 

About S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
The signature taste of S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water is created during a 30-year journey through the Italian Alps, where the water is naturally filtered. S.Pellegrino cleanses the palate and amplifies subtle flavors, making it the perfect complement to fine food and wines. This clean, refreshing taste helped S.Pellegrino become a preferred sparkling water in fine-dining restaurants in the USA, and pairs well with any occasion.

S.Pellegrino is proud to support a number of top culinary events, such as The James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year Award, S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition, The World's 50 Best Restaurants list, Aspen Food and Wine Classic, Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation, and Identità Golose. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/SanPellegrinoUS or www.finedininglovers.com

Contact:
Lindsay Hawley
Team N
[email protected]
617-520-7109

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SOURCE S.Pellegrino