STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water today announced that Chef Vinson Petrillo of Zero George Street Hotel and Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina has been selected to represent the U.S. at Expo Milano 2015 in June, competing against 19 young chefs from across the globe for the title of S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015. Chef Petrillo secured his place in Milan by winning the U.S. regional competition, held last night, February 10, 2015 at Astor Center in New York City.
Ten of the country’s best young chefs prepared and presented signature dishes to a panel of esteemed chef judges, including: Chef Paul Qui of qui in Austin, Texas, Chef Blaine Wetzel of Willows Inn on Lummi Island in Washington, Chef Wylie Dufresne of Alder in New York City, and Chef Amanda Freitag, Co-Star of Food Network’s Chopped in New York City. Petrillo’s winning dish was a pressurized octopus, wagyu cheek agnilotti, “parsley”, chorizo, octopus ink emulsion.
“I was honored to be a part of this unique and exciting culinary competition, partnering with S.Pellegrino to support emerging young talent,” said Chef Wylie Dufresne. “Chef Petrillo demonstrated an impressive level of innovation and creativity and the panel of chef judges are confident that he will do an exceptional job in Milan.”
“As a young chef honing my culinary skills, partaking in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition is an incredible opportunity for me to compete against other talented chefs from different parts of the world,” said Chef Petrillo. “I am thrilled to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
In addition to the culinary competition component, the 20 regional finalists from each global market will be paired with a rising star in the fashion design industry, as part of a partnership between S.Pellegrino and Vogue Italia. The duos will collaborate to create dishes and garment designs that inspire and complement one another. Both food and fashion designs will be judged independently and also as a pair at the global finale.
Contestants will be judged by a panel of seven internationally celebrated chefs, comprised of: Chefs Gastón Acurio, Yannick Alléno, Massimo Bottura, Margot Janse, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Éric Ripert and Joan Roca. The winning chef contestant will be named S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015, while the winning duo will be named Best Couple Chef-Designer 2015.
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 competition promotes creative expression and innovation within the contemporary culinary industry and showcases the brand’s commitment to supporting emerging culinary talent all over the world.
For more information on S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015, please visit www.finedininglovers.com, the online magazine for food enthusiasts proudly endorsed by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.
Follow #SPYoungChef for event updates and photos.
About S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
The signature taste of S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water is created during a 30-year journey through the Italian Alps, where the water is naturally filtered. S.Pellegrino cleanses the palate and amplifies subtle flavors, making it the perfect complement to fine food and wines. This clean, refreshing taste helped S.Pellegrino become a preferred sparkling water in fine-dining restaurants in the USA, and pairs well with any occasion.
S.Pellegrino is proud to support a number of top culinary events, such as The James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year Award, S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Aspen Food and Wine Classic, Food & Wine’s Best New Chef, and Identità Golose. For more information, visit www.sanpellegrino.com or www.finedininglovers.com
