The S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® Competition Fosters Tomorrow's Great Chefs as it Celebrates 10 Years of Culinary Excellence

STAMFORD, Conn., Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Culinary students representing 73 schools across the U.S. and Canada will vie for a coveted spot at the 10th annual S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® Competition in Napa Valley in March. Starting in January with 10 regional events, this one-of-a kind competition allows students to gain unparalleled career-launching  mentorships from some of the world's premier chefs and media influencers.

Throughout the past decade, the S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition has partnered with more than 340 award-winning chefs representing close to 400 restaurants. These chefs have judged and mentored the 580 past competitors, helping to launch their culinary careers. This year Michelin Star and James Beard Award–winning chef Eric Ripert of NYC's Le Bernardin and Five Star Diamond Award winner Susur Lee of Lee Restaurant, in Toronto, will join returning chefs: Chicago's Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia, Michel Richard of DC's Citronelle, Gary Danko of San Francisco's Restaurant GARY DANKO and Chef Jean Joho of Everest in Chicago.

The S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition serves as a platform for culinary schools to showcase their students' culinary expertise during a fast-paced, high-pressure cooking competition. "After I was recognized as last year's winner, the opportunities that have come my way are endless," said Marco Bahena, reigning S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef. "The mentorship and techniques I've learned from the participating chefs were invaluable."

In celebration of its 10th year, the S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition will bring back all nine of the past winners to the finals event on March 9-12, 2012, at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley, California.  Past winners will work alongside the esteemed judge panel to mentor the 10 finalists throughout the three days of fierce competition. All finals competitors will be evaluated in three competition categories: the Mystery Basket, Signature Dish and People's Choice.

The highly intense, star-powered weekend will culminate with the announcement of the 2012 S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef. This exciting event will be broadcast live via the Almost Famous Chef Competition Facebook fan page, http://www.facebook.com/AlmostFamousChef, where viewers can vote for their favorite competitor and ask questions of the celebrity chef panel as they watch all the excitement unfold. The overall winner will take the title, up to $22,000 in prizes and a career-changing apprenticeship with a master chef.

For more information on the S.Pellegrino brand and the competition, visit www.almostfamouschef.com, become a fan on Facebook, or follow the competition on Twitter at AFChefComp.

About the S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® Competition

For centuries, Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water and S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water have complemented fine food, wine and the dining occasion. In support of this passion for gastronomy and their commitment to the culinary arts, the S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition was founded in 2002 as a mentoring program that connects top culinary students with established chefs and influential media. Since then, this program has helped to launch hundreds of culinary careers and refined the skills of a new generation of chefs. Through the Almost Famous Chef Competition, student chefs are given the opportunity to gain unmatched experience, while cooking in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world.

SOURCE S.Pellegrino