Marta Minoves from Catalonia World Region of Gastronomy 2025 was announced European Young Chef for 2024 on 29 November. With her dish Fonda Tor. She impressed the international jury, chaired by Michelin-starred chef Martina Caruso, from Sicily, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025.
The jury unanimously awarded this dish first prize, praising its exceptional blend of flavours and its deep connection to the traditional recipe. They highlighted its fine dining and elegant presentation, perfectly balanced and beautifully portioned. The jury noted that Marta is a true chef.
The jury commended all participants for their exceptional commitment to sustainability and their strong focus on supporting local producers, which greatly enhanced the quality of each dish. With such outstanding representation of their regions, every one of the finalists is a winner!
Eight finalists from across Europe
The competition was held at IPSSEOA “Giovanni Falcone” hospitality school in Giarre (Catania) on 27-29 November 2024 and gathered finalists from 8 awarded and candidate European Regions of Gastronomy including:
- Polina Nazarova (South Aegean awarded 2019 – Greece)
- Kaja Naveršnik (Slovenia awarded 2021)
- Óscar Roca (Menorca awarded 2022 – Spain)
- Jasmin Kärkkäinen (Saimaa awarded 2024 – Finland)
- Rosaria Grasso (Sicily awarded 2025 – Italy)
- Marta Minoves (Catalonia awarded 2016 and World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025 – Spain)
- Giulia Casano (Gozo awarded 2026 – Malta)
- Kincső Szász (Harghita candidate 2027 – Romania)
Jasmin Kärkkäinen from Saimaa European Region of Gastronomy 2024 won second prize with the dish Saimaa Gamekeeper’s New Autumn Classic The jury noted that this dish was incredibly enjoyable and a joyous representation of the lake region of Saimaa. The flavours of the traditional dish were maintained and represented in an elegantly plated dish.
The third prize went to Rosaria Grasso from Sicily European Region of Gastronomy 2025 for her dish Flavours of Home and Sea. The jury thought that her attention to enhancing the flavours of the anchovies was exceptional and her skills exceptional.
Under the theme Innovation on Tradition, on 28 November the finalists presented and shared knowledge about traditional dishes and local food products from their regions. They then competed on 29 November, proposing their innovative interpretation of the traditional recipes.
Therefore, the competition was an opportunity for finalists to learn about different food cultures from across Europe and establish a professional network, while promoting culinary innovation and sustainability using traditional cuisine and local produce.
The international jury
The young chefs’ innovative dishes were evaluated by an international jury of chefs and experts chaired by, chef Martina Caruso, from Signum restaurant in Salina (Sicily), awarded 1 star and 1 green star by the Michelin Guide. The panel also included: chef Boštjan Volk, winner of the European Young Chef Award 2023 (Slovenia); pastry chef Frida Jensen, 3rd Prize at the European Young Chef Award 2021 and owner of Façon (Denmark); José Luis Marques, IGCAT Expert and Director of the Coimbra School of Hospitality and Tourism Coimbra (Portugal); Dr. Iulia Dragut, IGCAT Expert and President of the Cultural Association Euro East Alternative (Romania); and chef Per T. Tørrissen, IGCAT Expert and Manager of the Northern Norway Competence Center for Food (Norway).
Besides the young chefs’ technical skills, the jury panel assessed their creativity, their ability to communicate the story of their dishes, together with their capacity to reduce food waste and single-use plastics in the kitchen, as well as ensure a balanced use of meat/fish ingredients and vegetables in their dishes. Moreover, special attention was paid to the finalists’ knowledge of local products and producers from their regions.
The Award Ceremony
An award ceremony was held on 29 November at the stunning Monastero dei Benedettini in Catania, attended by Salvatore Barbagallo, Councillor for Agriculture of the Sicilian Region.
Salvatore Barbagallo remarked that: “I’m proud to host such an important European event that is encouraging young people to aspire and succeed in building a food future. Food is particularly important to Sicily that has so many great products that we welcome our international guests to taste.”
President of IGCAT, Diane Dodd PhD expressed her gratitude to the hosts who had provided many beautiful tastes of Sicily, astounding the international guests by their variety and excellence and addressed the finalists of the European Young Chef Award: “Young people are our future and you showed us in these last days what amazing talent you have and that you have really understood the importance of protecting and promoting our food and cultural heritage. I feel very honoured to have met you all and I know you each deserve to have a wonderful future!
“The jury had a difficult task – they practised due diligence in making sure that the best dish wins – the dish that really captures or enhances the flavours of the traditional dish, tells a story about the region, highlights local products and that addresses sustainability,” she concluded.
The award ceremony was hosted by Liliana Rosano, who also moderated the livestreaming of the European Young Chef Award 2024 together with Diane Dodd and Prof. Vincenzo Russo, member of the committee that leads the Sicily, European Region of Gastronomy 2025 programme and full professor at IULM University (Milan).
A commitment to sustainability and local products
On 28 November, all finalists to the European Young Chef Award 2024 signed up as IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassadors, committing to proudly and sustainably promote their regions’ food and cultural heritage throughout their future professional career.
The European Young Chef Award 2024 programme will conclude on 30 November with field visits to discover the local gastronomy and meet local producers in the province of Catania.
About IGCAT’s European Young Chef Award
The European Young Chef Award is an annual competition organised by IGCAT that gathers young culinary talents from the awarded and candidate European Regions of Gastronomy. Selected each year through local contests, finalists to the European Young Chef Award compete by innovating traditional recipes from their regions using local ingredients. This year, the competition was financed by the Department of Agriculture of the Sicilian Region.
IGCAT counts on the continuous support of the official ambassador of the competition, world-renowned, Michelin-starred chef Joan Roca, who has endorsed its principles since the first edition in 2016. Nominated Best Chef in the World for two consecutive years (2017 and 2018), Joan Roca stated that “the European Young Chef Award is a learning process and a very valuable experience. Success is doing what you like doing. So, the finalists to the European Young Chef Award have already won!”
The 8th edition of the European Young Chef Award is organised and promoted by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT) and hosted by Sicily, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025 at IPSSEOA “Giovanni Falcone” – Giarre hospitality school.
The European Young Chef Award 2024 is supported by Regione Siciliana; Consorzio DOS Sicilia (Consortium for the promotion and enhancement of Sicilian Designation of Origin products); Consorzio Tutela Vini DOC Sicilia (Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian DOC Wines); Modica Chocolate Museum; La Sicilia di Ulisse; IPSSEOA “Giovanni Falcone” – Giarre hospitality school; Principi de Grimaldi Vocational School of Modica; and the School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality I.P.S.S.E.O.A. “Pietro Piazza” of Palermo.
About the World/European Regions of Gastronomy
World/European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.
29 November 2024
