IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassadors

Following the successful seven editions of the European Young Chef Award, 63 young finalists have signed a protocol to be IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassadors and thus commit to supporting regional cuisine and local products.

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassadors support local food products and innovation on tradition to contribute to a more sustainable and better quality of food experiences.

The IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador initiative is an opportunity to give extra visibility to the talented young chefs while at the same time spreading IGCAT’s message that cultural and food diversity is necessary to ensure sustainable futures for regions.

Polina Nazarova

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from South Aegean, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Kaja Naveršnik

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Óscar Roca

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Menorca, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Jasmin Kärkkäinen

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Saimaa, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2024 “I...

Marta Minoves

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025 “My...

Rosaria Grasso

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Sicily, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Giulia Casano

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Gozo, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Kincső Szász

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Harghita, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Louis Barbier

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Hauts-de-France, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Alessia Fisichella

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Sicily, European Region of Gastronomy candidate 2025...

Sander Mollerup

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Central Denmark, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Cristina Pons

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Menorca, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2023 “My goal...

Oskar Krauss

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Osvaldo Sejas

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025 and...

Matias Roisko

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Saimaa, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2024 “My dream...

Dimitrios Mavropoulos

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from South Aegean, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2019 “I...

Boštjan Volk

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassador from Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded...

Rúben Lima

Coimbra Region, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021-22 Portugal “For me cooking is...

Beatriz Coelho

Minho, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2016 Portugal “I dream of having my own pastry...

Oliver Sørensen

Aarhus-Central Denmark, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2017 Denmark “Nowadays you can get...

Špela Kuhel

Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021 Slovenia “I could say that the inspiration...

Ivar Follinglo Moe

Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022 Norway “I wasn’t planning to...

Pauline Place

Hauts-de-France, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2023 France “I am sure that to become...

Pau Sintes

Menorca, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022 Spain “My goal in the short term is to learn...

Aikaterini Gonidaki

South Aegean, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2019 Greece “My dream is to open a...

Raúl Gisbert

Catalonia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2016 Spain “My aim, as a future chef, is to...

Léa Kanarski

Hauts-de-France, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2023 France “Cooking is for me a moment...

Espen Laumann

Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022 Norway “Food and gastronomy are...

Cristina Llorens

Menorca, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022 Spain “In the world of cooking, there is...

Janko Dulc

Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021 Slovenia “Despite all of the hardships that...

Inês Branco

Coimbra Region, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021-22 Portugal “Through a dish...

Andreas Dermatis

South Aegean, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2019 Greece “Local gastronomy is a treasure...

Frida Jensen

Aarhus-Central Denmark, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2017 Denmark “My focus as a future...

Eric Montes

Catalonia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2016 Spain “I believe that curiosity, the...

Pedro Cruz

Minho, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2016 Portugal “I consider myself humble...

Jure Dretnik

Slovenia Jure Dretnik is the young chef who represented Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy...

Hans Kjellsson

Aarhus-Central Denmark, Denmark “My passion is the good workmanship and local produce made with...

Clara Florit

Menorca, Spain Born in Ciutadella de Menorca 26 years ago, Clara Florit is the finalist who...

Bernardo Calvo Oliveira

Coimbra Region, Portugal Dedicated, passionate and humble, Bernardo Calvo Oliveira is proud to...

Paul Răhăian

Sibiu, Romania 25 years old and with a strong passion for cooking, Paul Vlad Răhăian is the...

Vic Tosseram

North Brabant, The Netherlands “I would describe myself as a learning cooking enthusiast who is...

Rui Meira

Minho, Portugal He does not remember when he actually decided to become a cook but, according to...

Mariona Rodà

Catalonia, Spain 19 years old, Mariona Rodà is the young talent who represented Catalonia...

Eirini Giorgoudiou

South Aegean, Greece “Gastronomy is a fascinating art and we need to focus on its past and...

Tim Bressers

North Brabant, The Netherlands Tim is 25 years old, born and raised in Berghem in Noord-Brabant...

Suvi Mäki

Kuopio, Finland 23-year-old, third-year Hospitality and Tourism student at the Savonia...

Rok Žurman

Slovenia A 21-year-old culinary student. Despite his current young age his journey in gastronomy...

Eric Díaz

Catalonia, Spain Eric is studying a High Degree in Kitchen Management and currently working in a...

Daniele Coccetti

Terra di Marca, Italy Daniele Coccetti a 24-year-old chef who first discovered his passion for...

Beatriz Costa

Minho, Portugal Beatriz Da Silva Costa is an 18-year-old chef from Portugal. She is currently...

Antonis Dimovasilis

South Aegean, Greece He has worked as a Chef De Partie at the Frankie Italian...

Andrew Ishmael

Galway-West of Ireland, Ireland Full time student of Culinary Arts at Galway International Hotel...

Andreas Bjerring

Aarhus-Central Denmark Region, Denmark Andreas Bjerring is 22 years old and studies gastronomy...

Andra Andriuc

Sibiu, Romania Andra Andriuc studies at the College of Sociology and Human Resources in Sibiu...

Josi Polso

Kuopio, Finland Josi Polso is a third-year Hospitality and Tourism student at the Savonia...

Spiros Kougios

South Aegean, Greece Spiros Kougios attended the School of Tourism and Cooking Training in...

Alin Barabancea

Sibiu, Romania Alin is a young chef coming from Sibiu –  Romania an area with an...

Bon Sawatdee

North Brabant, The Netherlands Bon Sawatdee attended the secondary Hotel School in Eindhoven...

Aisling Rock

Galway-West of Ireland, Ireland Aisling Rock, is a 21 years old Culinary Arts student at the...

Davide Fiammenghi

East Lombardy, Italy Davide comes from Cremona, he is 21 years old and his cuisine-love springs...

Pau Gabarró

Catalonia, Spain Pau Gabarró’s passion for cuisine started when he finished secondary school and...

Filip Matjaž

Primorska, Slovenia Filip graduated at the Faculty of Tourism Studies – in Primorska, Portorož...

Edgars Balodis

Riga-Gauja, Latvia Edgars spent 3 years preparing himself to become a chef. Then, he started...

Shane Sheedy

Galway, West of Ireland Shane is 28 years old and he has been working in kitchens since he was...

Stamatios Misomikes

South Aegean, Greece Stamatios is a passionate and very creative young chef. Raised in a...

Andrei Iosif Micle

East Lombardy, Italy Micle is 22 years old and is a young consultant chef. He completed his...

Mikkel Kjølhede

Aarhus-Central Denmark Region, Denmark Mikkel is 27 years old and studied gastronomy at...

Jan van Hout

Noord Brabant, Netherlands Jan is 23 years old and studied at Venlo cookery school, The...

Daniel Joarza

Sibiu, Romania Daniel is 28 years old and is a self-educated chef. After studying Management in...

Leon Pintaric

Prekmurje, Slovenia Leon is 21 years old and studied at Bad Gleichenberg Tourism School in...

Mikko Tilhonen

Kuopio, Finland Mikko is 27 years old and started his cooking career in 2005 at Savonia Culinary...

IGCAT Regional Chef Ambassadors are committed to:

• showcase regional and local food products that are wholesome and healthy;
• contribute to raising awareness of health issues and to promote healthy eating;
• introduce innovations on traditional recipes in their menus;
• support and promote local food traditions and festivals to the best of my ability and means;
• promote local food cultures as an important source of new ideas and innovative food products and culinary experiences;
• support initiatives that re-connect rural and urban environments and stimulate debate about the importance of traditional agriculture and food productions methods;
• encourage dialogue between everyone in the hospitality chain supply in order to find smart solutions to demand and supply chains in the region with regard to food production;
• encourage hoteliers and other restaurants to promote local products.