Three students from the Azores Tourism Training School won first place in the categories in which they entered the Young Talent in Gastronomy (JTG) competition. They competed in a final with 18 participants at the Estoril Hotel and Tourism School on December 4.
Trainee Carolina Gaspar, a 2nd-year student in the Cookery/Pastry Technique course, took first place on the podium in the Tradition with Bom Sucesso Rice category with her dish “Arroz do Atlântico.”
André Ferreira, a finalist in the 3rd year of the Restaurant/Bar Technician course, beat all the others in the magazine Bartender category with his “Honor Old Fashioned” cocktails. He was also awarded the Francisco Vieira prize, which recognizes the competitor who achieves the highest score in the national final, considering all the categories.
The Francisco Vieira Award aims to recognize the performance shown by the participants and their excellence in the specific category, making them stand out from the other competitors. The prize won by André Ferreira highlights his technical skill, creativity, originality, and commitment to the spirit of the competition.
Young André Pacheco’s dish “Broad beans, BT egg and vegetable chorizo” won first place in the Plant-Based by Bonduelle category.
The Young Talent in Gastronomy (JTG) competition is aimed at hotel and restaurant students. It is a point of contact between young people building their careers and the entire gastronomic community, acting as a launch pad, stimulating learning, and increasing opportunities. The JTG includes six categories: ICEL Table Arts, Bartender INTER Magazine, Plant-Based by Bonduelle, Derovo Pastry, Tradition with Bom Sucesso Rice, and Recheio Kitchen, contested in three semi-finals. From the entries, the jury selects a maximum of six contestants per category to compete in the semi-finals; of these, three go through to the final.
The jury for the Young Talent in Gastronomy 2024 competition, chaired by Luís Gaspar, chef at the Pica-Pau, Brilhante, and Sala de Corte restaurants, included names such as Tiago Palrão, Constance Bauer, Filipe Ramalho, Mauro Álison, Diogo Formiga, and Bruno Rocha.

In Correio dos Açores-Natalino Viveiros, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.