23 February 2015 – It was not an easy task to select a winner, but finally Angelo Scirocco was chosen to represent the Region at the S.Pellegrino Talent Awards night that will take place in June 2015 in Milan, during Expo Milan 2015. Angelo Scirocco with his Milk is Thicker than Water dish succeeded over the other 9 finalists for the region that were selected by ALMA, the world’s leading international educational and training centre for Italian Cuisine (www.alma.scuolacucina.it).
The Regional challenge took place at the South Africa Chefs Academy in Cape Town on Monday, 23rd February, when a jury composed of top chefs such as David Higgs, Joe Barza and Uwe Micheel tasted all the signature dishes of the finalists and chose Angelo Scirocco as the best, according to the five Golden Rules: ingredients, skills, genius, beauty, message.
“This experience has opened new doors for me and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. I look forward to David’s guidance and to grow as a young chef. I also look forward to bringing this award home on behalf of my fellow colleugues, we were all winners today”, expresses Angelo.
“It’s a dish consisting of milk as the main component. It is a combination of different ideas of courses that would include typical ingredients in each separate course. This dish has since progressed into a dessert”, says Angelo who is very excited to represent the Middle East and Africa region.
David Higgs to mentor
During this final round, each of the 20 finalists will be supported by a “Mentor Chef”, a global renowned cusine artist who will provide suggestions on how to improve their recipe and, more in general, to become a better chef. David Higgs has been named as the mentor for the Middle East and Africa’s regional finalist, drawing on years of experience and expertise to advise on the talented young chef’s final dish.
S.Pellegrino Young Chef is a unique initiative by the world famous sparkling water, synonymous with the gourmet food and true ambassador of the art of Italian living, that reaffirms its commitment to enhancing and consolidating the fine dining culture all over the world and to promoting emerging talents.
More than 3000 young chefs submitted their application together with their signature dish on www.finedininglovers.com to get a chance to participate to S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015, the global scouting project to find the world’s best young chefs.
S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 will now enter into its third phase, that sees the involvement of a great partner, Vogue Italia, with which the sparkling water shares the same devotion to the ideals of Italian excellence, including culture, togetherness, and beauty. In March 2015 Vogue Italia will match the 20 regional winning chefs with 20 emerging designers, selected through an international challenge: each of them will ideate a fashion creation inspired by the chefs’ signature dishes.
During this final round, each of the 20 finalists will be supported by a “Mentor Chef”, a global renowned cusine artist who will provide suggestions on how to improve their recipe and, more in general, to become a better chef. David Higgs has been named as the mentor for the Middle East and Africa’s regional finalist, drawing on years of experience and expertise to advise on the talented young chef’s final dish.
Higgs, of Five Hundred at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, has had a long and distinguished career spanning almost a quarter of a century. 2013 Eat Out S.Pellegrino Chef of the Year, he has set up numerous award winning restaurants in South Africa, as well as his own cookery school – The Higgs School of Good Cooking. He counts cooking for the late Nelson Mandela as one of his proudest career highlights.
On June 25th-27th, during Expo Milano 2015, a jury of seven famous international chefs, “seven sages” like Gastón Acurio, Yannick Alléno, Massimo Bottura, Margot Janse, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Éric Ripert and Joan Roca, will elect the winner, the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015, while the cuisine and fashion lovers attending the final event will vote to assign the Best Couple Chef-Designer 2015.