Today, the impact of the world of gastronomy is being felt way beyond the kitchen. Those at the cutting edge of gastronomy are pioneering its use as a device for social impact and change. As true believers in the transformative power of gastronomy, S.Pellegrino nurtures, discovers and promotes the next generation of culinary talent through the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2019-2020 initiative.
Chosen from a field of 10 worthy contenders, 25-year-old Victor Wang is going on to represent China at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Finale on May 8-9, 2020. The young talent has been working in the culinary field for four years currently as a commis at Shanghais Table Black, where he has been encouraged in autonomous and comprehensive thinking. We caught up with him to learn more about his journey and the inspiration for his winning dish.
Congratulations on being selected as the 2019 S.Pellegrino Young Chef Greater China Finalist. What has it been like competing to this point?
Its difficult to describe how I feel because it still seems like a dream. The fact that I have accomplished this Im still in shock. It feels awesome, though. I have to say that its a very nice experience.
Why did you decide to compete in this competition?
There was no master plan. My colleague told me that hed see me in the finals, and I guess I got that part right. But, honestly, now Im young and full of vigor, so I had to take the opportunity.
The theme of this years event is dreaming as a young chef can you tell us how this theme resonates with you? How do you define the power of dreams?
A dream is not just a dream. They have power, and dreams are the souls of our bodies. The only way to move up in the world is by working hard to accomplish our dreams without stopping.
How would you advise other young talents who are struggling to leverage new opportunities while chasing their dreams?
I would tell them to do three important things: work hard, stay smart and be proud.
You named your award-winning dish What is Soy in China? What was the inspiration for its creation?
I watched Chefs Table so many times, and each time I wondered how to do the same thing for Chinese food. Italy is famous for olive oil, Mexico for corn and China has soy. I chose to highlight something synonymous with Chinese cuisine.
How do the ingredients in your dish reflect Chinese cuisine?
Previously, I worked with two Italian chefs. One was from Milan and the other from Rome, which taught me different styles of Italian cooking. In China, we have the Eight Regional Cuisines. But, in an international competition that could go over peoples heads. Thats why I focused on ingredients that belong to every region in China. The entire country cooks with soy and pork, and that is Chinese food in my mind.
After winning the S.Pellegrino Young Chef in China, Victor Zhicheng Wang goes through to the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Finale in 2020. The Grand Finale will take place on May 8-9, 2020.
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