UAE-based chef Gregoire Berger has won the S. Pellegrino Young Chef 2016 challenge held earlier this week for the Middle East and Africa region. Berger will go on to represent the MEA region at the international grand finale of the competition in Italy later this year.
The French chef currently works as the head chef at Restaurant Ossiano Fine Dining at Atlantis The Palm.
The competition was held in South Africa at the country’s Chef’s Academy, where 10 chefs each prepared a single dish for the judges of the challenge, who included Chantel Dartnall of Restaurant Mosaic in Pretoria, Christopher Lester of the OIM Restaurant Group, and Moroccan chef Meryem Cherkaoui.
Berger's winning dish of Patagonian toothfish with cured goose.
Berger’s winning dish of Kerguelen island legine (also known as Patagonian toothfish) and cured goose, and potato shell stuffed with agria espuma among other elements, ultimately triumphed over those of the other nine contestants. The dishes were judged based on five criteria, including ingredients, skills, genius, beauty and message.
“This dish is a token of gratitude to thank all the chefs with whom I used to work. They taught me everything; from different signature products to techniques. The design is a walk in the woods in autumn, during a rainy day, my favourite atmosphere,” said Berger of his winning dish in a statement.
Berger faced stiff competition from Michael O’Shea from The Ivy Dubai, who was awarded second place, and Eka Mochamad of Bateaux Dubai, who was placed third. The grand finale of the competition is set to take place on October 13 in Milan, where Berger will be mentored by Dartnall during the final.
