Young chef award semi-final to be hosted in UAE for first time

Finalists from the Middle East and Africa region gathered at the Young Chef 2016 competition. Courtesy: S.Pellegrino

A global competition for emerging culinary talent will be hosted in the UAE for the first time this year.

Applications are currently open for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Award, which is open to chefs below the age of 31 worldwide.

Organisers have now confirmed the regional semi-final will be hosted in Dubai later in the year, where the top 10 entries from across the Middle East an Africa will go head-to-head.

Last year UAE-based chef Gregoire Berger won this regional round and went on to represent the MEA region at the international grand finale, which gathers winners from a total of 21 territories.

Now in its third year, young chefs with at least a year's professional experience are invited to enter by submitting their signature dish to an online hub at www.sanpellegrino.com before a deadline of April 30.

Regional finals will take place between June and December – with the exact Dubai location yet to be confirmed – before the winners head to the grand finals in Milan in June 2018.