Inside the Competition That Crowned America’s Next Culinary Star

After competing against nine culinary talents from across the country, chef Grace Cacciato was named the winner of the 2026–2027 S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy U.S. Regional Final. A panel of judges selected her roasted squab with chanterelle mushrooms and toasted buckwheat, black raspberry, and Swiss chard purées to represent the United States at the Grand Finale in Milan.

The 10 chefs vying to win the region cooked in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen in New York City on Monday, and the winner was announced the following evening at the U.S. Regional Final Gala & Awards. Everyone enjoyed the Gala menu, crafted by chef Garrett Brower, the 2024-25 U.S. winner who is the chef de cuisine at Bresca in Washington, D.C. and global mentor chef Aisha Ibrahim.

Representing the Michelin-starred restaurant Saga in New York, Cacciato presented a dish that featured the most components of any in the competition. All the judges were impressed with her sauce work and bold flavors.

Saga executive chef Charlie Mitchell returned for his second year as a mentor, working alongside Cacciato, a repeat competitor. “It was nice to see how her brain works…getting her perspective was inspiring,” he said. Cacciato was equally enthusiastic. “It’s the best competition, and everyone wants to be a part of it,” she said.

The chefs had five hours to prepare and execute their signature dishes in the Test Kitchen. With an hour remaining, guests had the opportunity to mingle over food and drinks. Chef Rachel Bindel, a 2022 US Finalist, served rye toast piled high with Maryland blue crab, horseradish crème, and pickled green tomato. Chef Akshay Kumar, a 2024 finalist, tucked Kumamoto oysters into a pani puri with cucumber gel and lemon foam. Tomato pie from Philadelphia’s Pizza Freak Co., spoonfuls of Petrossian caviar, and a selection of wines, S.Pellegrino beverages, and cocktails rounded out the reception.

Nilou Motamed, a culinary expert and Iron Chef judge on Netflix, hosted the competition. Accomplished chefs from several states served as judges: chef and co-owner E.J. Lagasse of Emeril’s in New Orleans; executive chef and partner Fariyal Abdullahi of Hav & Mar in New York City; Isabel Coss, executive chef at Pascual and founding pastry chef at Lutèce in Washington, D.C.; Jon Yao, head chef and owner at Kato in Los Angeles; and Ryan Ratino, executive chef and owner at Bresca and Jônt in Washington, D.C.

Motamed explained that each competitor had spent several months developing their dish alongside a chef mentor. The mentors were in the Test Kitchen throughout the competition, but were not permitted to participate in the cooking. She also outlined the three pillars of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy: Community, Competition, and Mentorship, which support its mission to discover and nurture the next generation of culinary talent.

Each chef’s arrival was announced by a burst of music and a live video feed from the Test Kitchen, where a fleet of servers collected the finished plates before delivering them to the judges. First up was chef Adolfo Pucci of Michelin-starred Ariete in Miami. His dish, “Three Shores, One Table,” told the story of his Venezuelan heritage, his family’s roots in Southern Italy, and his current home in Miami. The ambitious plate featured a lamb ragù inspired by his grandmother’s cooking and lacto-fermented Florida blueberries.

Chef Amit Kumar of three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York City presented the competition’s only fully vegan dish: “Sunchoke with Banana Blossoms, Chanterelles, and Sherry.” Drawing on memories of the banana trees he grew up with in India, Kumar combined banana blossoms, sunchoke purée, chanterelle mushrooms, and a ragù of sherry and banana flowers to create a hearty and deeply satisfying dish. Judge Fariyal Abdullahi called it “a very successful dish, not just a very successful vegan dish.”

Representing Auro at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, chef Evan Neumann presented “From the Valley to the Shoreline,” a love letter to the terroir of Northern California and Provence, where he grew up. Kombu-poached wild razor clams mingled with Napa verjuice and coastal seaweeds in a dish the judges found exceptionally creative. Neumann took home the S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for his thoughtful approach to social responsibility and sustainable practices.

At just 21, chef Lucy Field of New York City’s fine-dining bastion Per Se was the youngest competitor. Her dish, “Pekin Duck, Cherry, Plum,” was a study in restraint with only six components.

Chef Marcus Osorio, chef de cuisine at Living Room in Los Angeles, drew inspiration from his Salvadoran and Indigenous roots for his “Tamal de Pollo.” The dish featured corn sourced from Somos Maíz, the company founded by his mentor, chef Ron Oliver, and a mole poblano the two developed together. Judge Isabel Coss noted the challenge of preparing a mole with such limited time, but the judges were impressed by Osorio’s ability to marry European cooking techniques with soulful Indigenous ingredients and flavors.

Chef Nickolas Abbott hails from the small Appalachian town of Waynesville, North Carolina, and leads Chop Shop Butchery in Asheville. At the competition, he told the story of his community on a plate. His “Smoked Pork Loin, Fennel & Cheese Slaw, Sweet Potato, Asparagus, Fried Sausage, Pork Sauce Robert” reflected the people who shaped him, particularly his grandmother, his greatest inspiration as a chef.

Los Angeles–based chef Natasha Daniels of Providence showcased her vegetable-forward, zero-waste approach with “The Whole Bird, The Whole Garden.” The dish incorporated every part of a chicken across four preparations, alongside an array of vegetables and herbs inspired by her time working at The Chef’s Garden.

Daniels received two honors: the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award and the Fine Dining Lovers Award. Voted on by regional mentors, the Acqua Panna award recognized the dish that best demonstrated a connection between culinary traditions. Daniels’s approach also resonated with Fine Dining Lovers insiders, who selected her for their award that honors “a chef’s expression of personal belief.”

With only minutes to spare, chef Nicolas Lopez of 888 in Nashville arrived with “Pozole or Chawanmushi…?” Combining pozole, corn, and langoustine, Lopez connected his upbringing in Mexico with a culinary journey that has been shaped by Scandinavian ingredients and Japanese techniques. Although the judges could have used more time to explore the dish, they were intrigued by his influences and impressed by his technique.

The final competitor, Juwon Lee, is the chef of Octavia in San Francisco. Lee was born in South Korea and grew up in Singapore before making California his home. His dish, “Curry and Quail with Ingredients My Mother Said Were Healthy,” drew on memories of eating Indonesian fried chicken and his mother’s insistence on including vegetables at family dinners. “I believe in the term happy food,” Lee explained. “There are no restrictions other than bringing joy to the eater and the chef.”

Congratulations to all 10 chefs who competed, and best of luck to Chef Cacciato as she continues to work with her mentor and prepares to represent the United States at the 2027 Grand Finale in Milan. Follow her journey at @sanpellegrino_us.

Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit