S.Pellegrino Young Chef Africa & Middle East 2019 competition took place with ten finalists competing against each other in a day-long cook-off, after which four awards were handed over at an evening Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony.
The ultimate winner of Africa and the Middle East regional competition was announced as South African, Paul Thinus Prinsloo, Chef de Partie at The Restaurant at Waterkloof in Cape Town.
Here Prinsloo shares five food trends to look out for in 2020:
1. Cannabis cooking
“Everyone is going on about CBD products these days and it won’t be long before it becomes a full-on food trend. As many countries have now started legalizing marijuana in small quantities, CBD products will start making its way into the Restaurant industry very shortly”.
2. Sustainability
“Global warming has become a massive thing and many people are trying to help with awareness. As such, a lot of chef’s have taken spreading that awareness to their food and the plate by going green, using sustainable products and creating less waste by reusing and recycling”.
3. Healthy eating
“More and more restaurants have started adding carb-free/gluten-free/lactose-free/plant-based options to their menus and some even provide nutritional charts so that people can see what their intake will be. It’s a food trend that’s growing and will make its mark in 2020”.
4. Plant-based menus
“A lot of research has been done behind plant-based menus, which makes being Vegetarian or Vegan much easier”.
5. Catering for dietaries
“A lot of people these days have dietaries that need to be taken in account when it comes to designing a menu. Food producers are trying to make it less difficult for the industry by going organic, using less of certain items or completely removing certain things to accommodate those needs”.
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Regional Award presented to Prinsloo is voted for by the Regional Jury. The award is given to the chef who has unrivalled technical skills, genuine creativity and an exceptional, strong personal belief about gastronomy.
In addition, the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility is voted for by Food Made Good, the internationally recognized voice on sustainability in food, this dish represents the principle that food is best when it is the result of sustainable practices. Callan Austin from Le coin Français, Cape Town took this award for his dish, The Ghost Net.
The Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy is voted for by the Regional Mentors, the winner of this award produced a dish that represents diversity and recognises the beauty of different cultures coming together to create something fresh and exciting. Elissa Abou Tasse who is Chef de Partie at Ritage by Maroun Chedid in Beirut took the award for her dish, Adam’s Garden.
The Fine Dining Lovers Community Award is voted for by the online Fine Dining Lovers community, this award is for the young chef who best represents their personal belief through their dish. Marcus Gericke from Qunu Restaurant in Johannesburg took this award for his dish, Remembrance (Quail Consommé).
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