{"id":144453,"date":"2019-08-26T20:53:18","date_gmt":"2019-08-26T18:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/s-pellegrino-young-chef-semi-finalists-reveal-their-signature-dishes-in-the-run-up-to-the-regional-finals\/"},"modified":"2019-08-26T20:53:18","modified_gmt":"2019-08-26T18:53:18","slug":"s-pellegrino-young-chef-semi-finalists-reveal-their-signature-dishes-in-the-run-up-to-the-regional-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/s-pellegrino-young-chef-semi-finalists-reveal-their-signature-dishes-in-the-run-up-to-the-regional-finals\/","title":{"rendered":"S.Pellegrino Young Chef semi-finalists reveal their signature dishes in the run-up to the regional finals."},"content":{"rendered":"

S.Pellegrino Young Chef semi-finalists reveal their signature dishes in the run-up to the regional finals.<\/a>: <\/p>\n

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S.Pellegrino water<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Top ten talented young chefs are focussing their creativity and honing their skills to perfect their signature dishes for the Africa and Middle East regional final of S.Pellegrino Young Chef, to be held in Cape Town on the 14th October 2019.<\/p>\n

Cape Town, South Africa, August 2019 – Our continent\u2019s vibrant gastronomic scene is reflected in the signature dishes of the ten semi-finalists currently preparing for the regional final. Seven out of the ten young chefs are South African, with one each from Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Each young talent is determined to make their mark on the global stage as they fine-tune their signature dishes. They will compete in four categories, the winners of each going through to the international Grand Finale in May next year, to be held in Milan. It\u2019s a coveted opportunity to learn, grow and connect with the global gastronomic community in a transformative way, something that is immensely valuable to South African and Middle Eastern chefs, who can sometimes feel geographically isolated from the international food scene.<\/p>\n

Signature dishes<\/p>\n

The young chefs developed one signature dish for the competition, working with their mentors on improving and fine-tuning it to perfection. It must demonstrate their technical skills, creativity and personal beliefs, conveying a clear message and wowing judges with presentation, technique and of course flavour.<\/p>\n

Meet the young chefs and their signature dishes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elissa Abou Tasse \u2013 chef de partie at Maroun Chedid SAL, Beirut, Lebanon – \u201cI think gastronomy nowadays is neglecting culture over trends. The flavours of fire, the taste of wood, the erotic scene where fire is in direct contact with ingredients are all essential in my cooking.\u201d Her dish \u2018Adam\u2019s Garden\u2019 brings together almost forgotten ingredients from her home terroir with the flavours of the Levant, and a dramatic monochrome plating.<\/p>\n

Callan Austin \u2013 chef de partie at Le Coin Francais in Franschhoek – \u201cThis competition is exciting for me to have the opportunity to voice my message of ethical, sustainable and seasonal cuisine through an art form that is relatable for everyone.\u201d His dish, entitled \u2018The Ghost Net\u2019 highlights the global problem of ocean pollution, using sustainable seafood and foraged local ingredients to build up a picture on the plate of the abandoned fishing nets that together with plastic threaten marine life.<\/p>\n

Marcus Gericke – Junior sous chef at Qunu at The Saxon Hotel, Johannesburg – \u201cMy dish is a representation of the hours my father spent teaching me how to respect ingredients, the land and most of all the people around me. It reminds me to be proud of my heritage and to never forget where I come from.\u201d Named \u2018Remembrance\u2019 it is a quail consomm\u00e9, which started as a memory of gardening with his father and has evolved to encompass simple delicate flavours, such as fennel and charred corn, native to the quail\u2019s natural environment.<\/p>\n

Logan Leisse – chef de partie at Cavalli Estate, Stellenbosch – \u201cThere are no limitations to what you can create with food whether it\u2019s a specific taste, a feeling or memory. A dish to me is more than perfectly balanced flavour on a plate it is a medium of communication and expression.\u201d Her dish \u2018Sea Bass Ceviche\u2019 is inspired by the rock pools in her home-town of Gordon\u2019s Bay, where she hopes to open her own restaurant one day. The dish was created by her as a newly promoted chef de partie at Cavalli, where it was an immediate hit on last summer\u2019s menu.<\/p>\n

Martim Moreau Maita \u2013 chef de partie at The Park Hyatt, Abu Dhabi Hotel – \u201cI believe that in the kitchen we are more artisans than artists. The idea behind this dish is to use products that are underrated and associated with peasant cuisine, and transform them into something creative and refined yet simple and enjoyable.\u201d His dish \u2018Onion, veal offal, salsify and garden weeds\u2019 brings out the possibilities of ingredients that are usually considered banal, inspired by a famous parody of writer Gertrude Stein, \u201cAn onion is an onion is an onion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kayla-Ann Osborn – executive chef at The Chefs Table, Umhlanga – \u201cI aim to promote the colourful diversity of Durban cuisine on an international, contemporary fine dining level, to do this in the most sustainable way possible, and with our incredible produce. I want to showcase our dishes in an elegant and clever way without losing their authenticity of flavour.\u201d Her dish \u2018Durban Prawn Curry\u2019 is a prawn tartare with prawn chutney, inspired by the local Durban pink prawns, the flavours of growing up in Durban, the spice stalls and local chutneys.<\/p>\n

Daniel Payne – head chef at View at the Four Seasons Hotel, Johannesburg – \u201cOne of my contributions to the gastronomic world would be to provide underprivileged youth of my country with a platform to develop their culinary skills and the right tools for self-sufficiency.\u201d His dish \u2018Ekuqaleni\u2019, meaning \u2018In the beginning\u2019 in Zulu, is inspired by the hunter- gatherer Khoisan people who were the first indigenous people of southern Africa. It comprises ostrich (hunted by the men) and green mealies (gathered by the women) and reflects a taste of South Africa, showcasing his simple but complex approach to food.<\/p>\n

Meshen Pillay \u2013 senior chef de partie at Reuben\u2019s at Capital Moloko, Johannesburg – \u201cI was taught at a young age to appreciate the ingredients I was exposed to and to identify the best quality. I have been fascinated by using one or two key ingredients cohesively to produce different forms of flavour, texture and taste, ever since my grandmother cooked chicken and onions in foil over an open flame for me when I was young.\u201d His dish \u2018Chicken, Egg and Everything Onion\u2019 uses two key ingredients with many different techniques that allow one to truly appreciate its flavour creatively to the fullest.<\/p>\n

Paul Thinus Prinsloo – chef de partie at The Restaurant at Waterkloof, Somerset West – \u201cClassic French Cuisine is the reason we do what we do today. If it wasn’t for chefs such as Marie-Antoine Careme and Auguste Escoffier, being a chef would not be a career today.\u201d He aims to be one of the chefs who shape the future of the industry without losing touch with classic French roots. In his dish \u2018Bouillabaisse 2.0\u2019 he does a contemporary interpretation of a classic. \u201cThe dish is also describing me as a chef and how I feel about this industry. Simplicity is me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aytekin Yamac \u2013 junior sous chef at Hezarfen Restaurant, CVK Park Bosphorus Hotel, Turkey – \u201cI am aiming to show the rich Turkish culinary culture and diversity to the world of gastronomy.\u201d Cooking was part of his childhood, catching and cooking fish from the creek, when his mother wasn\u2019t home. His dish \u2018Local Poultry Variation\u2019 remembers the ingredients his mother cooked with and their village roots, organic goose bred by his grandfather, crispy baklava prepared with village walnuts for special holidays, bulgar wheat, spices and eggplant.<\/p>\n

In addition to the winner of best young chef, three more categories will be awarded – The Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award, the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility, and the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy. Winners in each of the four categories will proceed to the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Grand Finale in Milan next year to represent their region, competing against the best young chefs from the twelve regions and striving for the title of best young chef in the world.<\/p>\n

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