The ninth edition of the European Young Chef Award gets under way

From today Catalonia becomes the epicentre of European culinary talent with the start of the ninth edition of the European Young Chef Award (EYCA), a competition bringing together young chefs from all over Europe to compete in a setting where tradition and innovation go arm in arm. The event, promoted by the Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT), runs from 24 to 28 November at various locations across Catalonia, within the framework of the Catalonia World Region of Gastronomy 2025 distinction.

The competition began this morning with the purchase of local products at shops in Calella, followed by the official welcome by Diane Dodd, president of IGCAT, and Lluís Serra, director of EUHT Sant Pol. During the day, the jury was presented and the IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador Agreement was signed, making the participants ambassadors for their territory and for the values of sustainable cooking.

The nine candidates competing for the title are Ànakin Rivera (Catalonia), Ioannis Liapakis (Crete), Bogdan-Andrei Lovin (Banat), Joan Taltavull (Menorca), Nigel Tabone (Gozo), Gabriele Somma (Sicily), Joana Gonçalves (Coimbra), Pija Frešer (Slovenia) and Ivan Barčot (Dalmatia).

The central days of the competition will take place at the Sant Pol de Mar University School of Hospitality and Tourism (EUHT StPOL). Today, Tuesday 25, the candidates prepare the traditional version of the dish with which they represent their region, in a non-competitive session highlighting European gastronomic heritage. Tomorrow, Wednesday 26, it will be the turn of the innovation test, in which the young chefs will present a creative reinterpretation of their emblematic dish to the jury. This day will be streamed on IGCAT's official channel, bringing the competition closer to international audiences.

The jury, chaired by the Catalan chef Xavier Pellicer, a world reference in plant-based, healthy cuisine, includes prestigious professionals such as Evi Chioti (Cyprus), an expert in sustainable gastronomy; Frida Jensen (Norway), an innovative chef and pastry chef; Ken Trahv (Estonia), a gastronomy entrepreneur; Wendy Barrie (Scotland), an advocate of food heritage; and Per Tørrissen (Norway), a specialist in Arctic cuisine and food education. Their work guarantees the rigour and quality of a competition that seeks to drive creativity based on tradition.

The programme of activities complements the competition with immersive experiences that will allow participants to discover Catalan culture and gastronomy. Today, after the tests, they will experience the Castanyada in Viladrau, with tastings and a themed dinner based on local products. Tomorrow the day will continue with a visit to Vilafranca del Penedès, where they will delve into the castells tradition and enjoy a banquet of seasonal produce. On Thursday 27, Barcelona will host a gastronomic tour of La Boqueria and emblematic venues, with lunch at the Fàbrica Moritz, before the grand gala.

The final gala will be held on Thursday 27 November at the historic building of the University of Barcelona, an incomparable setting for the announcement of the winner and the two finalists of the 2025 edition. The event, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Òscar Ordeig, will culminate in an official dinner bringing to a close a week dedicated to creativity, sustainability and the promotion of European culinary heritage.

About the European Young Chef Award

The The European Young Chef Award is a competition promoted by IGCAT (Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism) which brings together the winners of regional competitions from all over Europe with the aim of promoting innovation based on traditional cuisine, highlighting sustainable food cultures and creating future ambassadors for local products and territories.

This year's edition forms part of the Catalonia World Region of Gastronomy 2025 initiatives. The event is organised by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, through Prodeca, and by the Department of Business and Labour, through the Catalan Tourist Board, with the collaboration of the Trade, Crafts and Fashion Consortium of the Government of Catalonia.