The six best up-and-coming chefs provided a thrilling final on Monday afternoon: earlier, they had already impressed the jury in the preliminary challenges and secured their place in the final round. In the process, they not only had to demonstrate their technical skills, but also their creativity and flair. Top chef and co-initiator Johann Lafer and the jury, which included Nelson Müller, Cornelia Poletto and Marco Müller, were visibly impressed: ‘We witnessed really exceptional talents in the kitchen. So much passion and perfection – that gives us hope for the future of the restaurant industry. I find it inspiring to see how much dedication and ambition the younger generation puts into their work. I’m really proud to be part of something that brings out the very best in up-and-coming chefs,’ said Top chef and competition judge Cornelia Poletto.
More than a pinch of talent
The final challenge of the NEXT CHEF AWARD required the talented young chefs to give their all once more: under the watchful eye of the jury, they had to recreate a dish by JohannLafer. The twist was that the cooking was done without a recipe, but rather with a special flair for flavour, skill and creativity. This year, the task was to master veal fillet stuffed with scallops, a tarragon and pepper cream and stuffed potatoes – by no means a simple task. In the end, Gedion Beckmann form Hamburg’s restaurant ‘Der Player’ was able to prevail over the fierce competition with his interpretation of the dish. ‘Winning the NEXT CHEF AWARD is an incredible honour! This competition has not only given me the opportunity to showcase my passion for cooking in front of some of the biggest names in the industry, but also to meet some amazing fellow chefs. I’m looking forward to starting my own cookbook journey and sharing my creative ideas with others. A big thank you to the jury and everyone who supported me!’
With their victory, Beckmann secured a unique top prize: the publication of his own cookbook by the renowned Gräfe und Unzer Verlag publishing house. Second place went to Yves Knittlmayer from ‘Die Alte Brauerei’ in Sankt Ingbert. He can look forward to a high-performance professional kitchen appliance from Pacojet. Markus Suntinger from ‚Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro‘ in Berlin took third place and secured a high-quality knife set from KAI.
The leading international trade fair will be providing many more highlights until 18 March 2025. Whether it’s a look into the future of food or at new digital applications and kitchen technologies – INTERNORGA acts as a partner on equal footing, providing fresh impetus for the foodservice and hospitality market of tomorrow. With no shortage of exciting inspiration, innovations and networking opportunities to shape change together.
Press material for download: https://hmc.canto.de/b/QNVT9
