S.PELLEGRINO YOUNG CHEF ACADEMY COMPETITION 2022-2023: YOUNG CHEF ARTUR GOMES IS THE WINNER OF THE S.PELLEGRINO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD

Representing the Iberian Countries, the young chef from Portugal was recognised for his will to embrace sustainability in every stage of his culinary work.

As the highly anticipated Grand Finale of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2022-23 approaches – set to take place in Milan on 4 and 5 October 2023 – the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy is thrilled to announce Artur Gomes from Portugal, as the recipient of the prestigious S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award voted for by The Sustainable Restaurant Association.

The prize, one of three collateral awards of the Competition, is given to the chef whose signature dish best interprets the principle that food is better when it is the result of socially responsible practices, conveying a powerful message of sustainability.

Gomes stood out among the 15 sustainability-minded young chefs that won the prize in their respective regions, winning the global title with his "Vale das Lobas" celeriac' signature dish.

"I am honoured to have received this recognition that is so important to me," said Gomes. "Social responsibility should be a collective commitment that goes beyond our restaurant. With my dish I wanted to show how sustainability should start from our communities, our artisans and the region. My hope is that through sustainable constructions, regenerative farming, and resource management we aren't only regenerating this land but also this community."

Juliane Caillouette Noble at The Sustainable Restaurant Association added, "We're proud to assign this edition's Award to Artur Gomes. Providing a picture of Portugal's rural northern landscape, the dish not only champions hyper-local ingredients, but also showcases regenerative agricultural processes that are being introduced with soil health and climate in mind. Artur understands that social responsibility must go hand in hand with financial and environmental responsibility, if restaurants are to continue to attract the best young talent and provide an inspiring and positive work environment."

To nurture the talent of young chefs, the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy recently provided all regional finalists with the opportunity to participate in a series of inspiring workshops to explore the most relevant topics for the industry. During '360° sustainability', young chefs competing for the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award, moderated by Tom Jenkins, Fine Dining Lovers journalist and Academy spokesperson, had the chance to engage in insightful discussions with esteemed members of the international chef community, including Kamilla Seidler, Jeffrey Vella, Suzanne Barr, and Daniel Gottschlich, as well as Molly McDonald and Isabel Martin from the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Together, they explored approaches to sustainability, encompassing both environmental and human aspects, and discussed effective ways to communicate these values to guests, with Tom Jenkins highlighting as key messages: "While environmental sustainability is of course a hot topic, what engaged guests the most across these workshops was the issue of human sustainability and creating a better, fairer and safer industry for all. Many senior chefs discussed the changes they've made to their teams' working practices and how they've adjusted their business models, whilst our young chefs emphasised just how important work-life balance is now to their generation. All agree: a happy team equals a happy restaurant."

To learn more about the initiative please visit: www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com.

The Academy opens its doors to members from over 70 different countries, ensuring that talent is not constrained by geography, ethnicity, or gender. This is a place where passionate young chefs interact with the most influential players in global gastronomy, and where together they cultivate an inspiring culinary community.

To discover more please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/ 

Sanpellegrino has always been committed to enhancing this primary good for the planet and works responsibly and passionately to ensure that this resource has a secure future.