The young Catalan cook Marta Minoves22 years old, has won the European Young Chef Award, best young European chef awardwith his plate Fonda Torupdate of a traditional mountain dish typical of the Berguedà region, masked potatoes.
The eighth edition of the European Young Chef Award was held from November 27 to 30 in Sicily (Italy) and has had several tests, one of which was to cook the finalist dish of each candidate in traditional versionreported the Department of Agriculture of the Generalitat.
The unanimous winning dish, Fonda Torit is an evolution of the recipe Interpretation of Grandma Marta’s masked potatoes who last March proclaimed Marta Minoves as Best Young Chef of Catalonia in the 36th edition of the contest held at the Sant Pol de Mar Hospitality and Tourism School (Barcelona).
During these preparatory months for the European competition, the Catalan chef has had the mentoring of her school CETT-UB, Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy and the accompaniment of the cook Carme Ruscalleda, with whom worked on the arrangement of the different preparations on the final plate.
Regarding the winning dish, Minoves explained: “I wanted to show the respect that I feel for the product, for my land and for the Catalan cuisine that my grandmother, cook of the Fonda Tor“. “I have made a mining tradition dishrespecting its essence of exploitative cuisine. I wanted to bring the jury closer to Catalan mountain cuisine, which is still unknown,” added the young chef.
Marta Minoves grew up in Berga (Barcelona) and graduated in Culinary and Gastronomic Sciences from the CETT-UB, with specialization in Haute Cuisine. He has worked in several places, such as Berga (La Cabana), Vic (PaVic), Formentera (L’Aigua) and Ibiza (Xuclar restaurant). The competition, which was held at the IPSSEOA hospitality school Giovanni Falcone from Giarre (Catania), has brought together finalists from eight European regions.
In addition to Marta Minoves, have participated in the competition Jasmin Kärkkäinen (Saimaa, Finland), Óscar Roca (Menorca), Kaja Naveršnik (Slovenia), Polina Nazarova (South Aegean, Greece), Giulia Casano (Gozo, Malta), Kincső Szász (Harghita, Romania) and Rosaria Grasso (Sicily, Italy).
Jasmin Kärkkäinenfrom the European gastronomic region of Saimaa 2024, has won second prize with the dish Saimaa Gamekeeper’s New Autumn Classic and the third prize went to Rosaria Grassofrom the European gastronomic region of Sicily, thanks to its dish Flavors of Home and Sea.
The young chefs’ innovative dishes have been evaluated by a international jury formed by chefs and experts chaired by chef Martina Caruso, from the Signum restaurant in Salina (Sicily), awarded with a star Michelin.
In addition to the technical skills of the young chefs, the jury appreciated his creativitythe ability to communicate the story behind their dishes, as well as their skill in reducing food waste and disposable plastics in the kitchen.
The European Young Chef Award is a competition promoted by the IGCAT (Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism) that announces the winners of the regional competitions from all over Europe with the aim of promoting innovations in traditional cuisine, highlighting sustainable food cultures and creating future ambassadors for regions and local food products.