Winner of the European Young Chef Award 2019 Announced
Eirini Georgoudiou from South Aegean has been announced today's European Young Chef for 2019. With her dish 12 Elements, she won the hearts of the international jury chaired by acclaimed Greek Chef Argiro Barbarigou - the Ambassador for South-Aegean, European Region of Gastronomy 2019.
Georgoudiou innovated the traditional recipe Okras with Grouper using exclusively local ingredients from the twelve islands of the Dodecanese, transforming a very simple traditional plate by adding a unique explosion of flavors and textures.
Jure Dretnik from Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021 won the second prize with his dish Lunch of Mowers, while third prize went to Hans Kjellsson from Aarhus-Central Denmark Region, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2017 and his dish The Taste of Home.
The European Young Chef Award 2019 was held at Rodos Palace Hotel in Rhodes and gathered finalists from different European regions: Catalonia, Minho, Aarhus-Central Denmark Region, North Brabant, Sibiu, South Aegean, Slovenia, Coimbra, Menorca.
The European Young Chef Award aims to:
Promote innovations on traditional cuisine
Local food cultures are an important source of innovation. Traditions developed over centuries form the vital ‘DNA’ of food cultures and regional gastronomy, as well as local knowledge, is, therefore, an important potential source of innovative products and experiences.
Highlight sustainable food cultures
Sustainable local, regional and global food systems are important for all our futures. The European Young Chef Award, therefore, aims to stimulate debate about sustainable food and gastronomy practices, production and consumption.
Create future ambassadors for local food products
Local food products are often unique to the territory from which they come. Likewise, regional culture creates distinctions that underline the added-value of local products. By giving visibility to emerging chefs that support local products, it is hoped to contribute to a more sustainable and better quality of food experiences.
By Nini Dakhundaridze