Japanese chef Yashihiro Fujio wins S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018

The winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 has been announced and it was Japanese chef Yashihiro Fujio who triumphed.

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The winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 Yashihiro Fujio took home the top prize with his award-winning dish "Across the sea".

Now in its third year, the S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition aims to find the world's best chef under 30 in a five-hour cook-off for a jury of seven internationally known chefs.

Yashihiro fought a hard battle against 20 other contestants from around the world which included Jake Kellie, who is now working at Burnt Ends in Singapore, (competing for Southeast Asia and was eventually placed in the top three) amongst others who had spent the last two days cooking at the grand finale in Milan. The chefs had previously competed in regional contests, with the finalists cooking their signature dish in the grand final. The dish was chosen based on several variables including flavour, presentation, the story behind the dish and the sense of place.

Yashihiro Fujio’s ‘Across the sea’ dish was centred around ayu fish - a sweet, river fish that is highly seasonal and is only available in Japan for a very short period. Yashihiro wanted to ‘recreate his memories of the smells and tastes of the river nearby his home where the ayu fish lives, incorporating ‘green flavours’ in all components of his signature dish’.

As well as being awarded the prestigious title of S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018, Yashihiro Fujio was also presented the Taste of Authenticity Award (he brought an indigenous river fish from Japan in his luggage for the final!). Hisdish was chosen by the jury of seven internationally renowned chefs which included Brett Graham from The Ledbury, and Dominique Crenn and Ana Ros, both of whom have previously been recipients of the World's Best Female Chef title and Virgilio Martinez Valez of Peru's Central Restaurante as well as Margarita Forés, Annie Féolde and Paul Pairet.

Yashihiro Fujio joins the prestigious group of chefs who have previously won this accolade which includes Mitch Lienhard (USA, 2016) and Mark Moriarty (UK, 2015). He was supported by his mentor Luca Fantin,  the renowned Tokyo-based Italian chef. Yashihiro told Fine Dining Lovers 'he couldn’t have done it without the support of those closest to him'. He said: “My head chef at La Cime, my family … it isn’t just about cooking, it’s been tough. Before [S.Pellegrino Young Chef] maybe I was more self-orientated, but I know I stand here because of people’s support and I appreciate this very much."

He added: "I wasn’t confident at all. I tasted some of the other chefs’ dishes and they tasted really good. I did the best that I could do … You can’t be any more than yourself – be yourself and cook from the heart.”