It was a vegan dish of smoked celeriac with Granny Smith apple and crisp taro that secured Robin Wagner the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Award for 2022 at last night’s ceremony held in Sydney.
During the day, the Magill Estate sous chef and nine other chefs under 30 competed in the Pacific region competition, cooking a dish that was then judged by three notable food folks: Jacqui Challinor, executive Chef of Nomad Sydney and Melbourne; influential seafood pioneer, Saint Peter’s Josh Niland; and renowned fine-dining master, Peter Gilmore of Quay.
“I’ve had the privilege of eating at a number of amazing restaurants this year, including El Celler de Can Roca in Spain. But that dish was the best dish I’ve had all year,” Niland said last night at the awards ceremony, which was held at Italian restaurant Seta.
“We wanted to lick the plate,” added Challinor. “Everything worked in harmony.”
There were two other awards given on the night, also based on the dishes made and the ethos around them. Alexis Belmas, who is pastry chef at Queensland’s La Petit Souris, took out the Award for Social Responsibility. Leidy Carolina Maldonado Ramirez won the Fine Dining Lovers Community Award for her dish, ensalada de payaso “clown salad”. Ramirez is chef at Far North Queensland restaurant Nu Nu.
There’s already a lot of excitement for New Zealander Jackson Mehlhopt, who is head chef of Tussock Hill Cellar Door and Restaurant, just out of Christchurch, and who trained under two of New Zealand’s finest (Vaughan Mabee from Amisfield and Giulio Sturla of Roots). He snagged the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy.
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition is about fostering and developing the next generation of culinary talents and helping hone their skills. Each chef is given a mentor, who helps guide them and teaches them about cooking, as well as the food industry.
Wagner will now represent the Pacific region at the grand final in Milan in 2023.
