There’s lots to love about S. Pellegrino, and one of the sparkling mineral water brand’s most notable endeavors is the Young Chef Academy, an annual global talent search to find the world’s best young chefs. The jury counts some of the world’s most notable chefs, who weigh in and lend their support.
One of these chefs is Antonia Klugmann, whose restaurant L’Argine a Venco in Friuli-Venezia Giula holds a Michelin star. During this year’s Identità Golose, held September 25-27 at Milano Congresso, I had the opportunity to attend a lunch cooked by Klugmann in Spazio S. Pellegrino in honor of the Young Chefs Academy initiative.
The room was cleverly designed (see the above photo) with dangling kitchenware shaped to spell the word talento (Italian for talent). Among the letters, screens showcased inspiring quotes from some of Italy’s top chefs on talent and other traits that comprise their Young Chef candidates.
The lunch started with northern Adriatic cuttlefish, porcini mushrooms (both raw and cooked) from a Friuliano forest, sweet peaches, and bitter chicory then continued with beetroot ravioli topped with a chicory-marjoram glaze and finished with rhubarb in both gelatin and gelato forms with mango, pineapple, and tarragon. (see below)
The S. Pellegrino Young Chefs finals take place October 28-30, 2021, and anyone around the world can watch, as it will be live-streamed on the Academy’s website and Facebook page as well as on S.Pellegrino TV. More details here.
