“I dream of having my own pastry shop, based on bringing back traditional sweets from my region that have always existed but no one knows about” states Beatriz Coelho, the finalist who will represent Minho, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2016 at the 6th European Young Chef Award.
Beatriz is a 17-year-old student of the Technical Course in Cooking/Pastry at ETAP Professional School in Vila Praia de Âncora. She did her first internship in Portugal, in a 4-star hotel, and in the 3rd year of the course, she took an internship in Malta, in a hotel that also worked with catering.
Since she was a child, she has always loved being in the kitchen, helping her mother cooking and practicing recipes she saw in YouTube videos.
“I hope that my participation in the European Young Chef Award will give me the chance to meet new people from the world of gastronomy and acquire new knowledge” claims Beatriz.
At the European Young Chef Award 2022, Beatriz will present an innovative reinterpretation of the Meias-luas de Viana (Viana’s Half Moons), a traditional convent sweet usually made and sold in the Recolhimento de Santiago.
About IGCAT’s European Young Chef Award
The European Young Chef Award is an annual competition organised by IGCAT that gathers young culinary talents from the awarded and candidate European Regions of Gastronomy. Selected each year through local contests, finalists to the European Young Chef Award compete by innovating traditional recipes from their regions using local ingredients.
The 6th edition of the European Young Chef Award is organised and promoted by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT) and hosted by the Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022. The competition will be held at Strinda High School in Trondheim on 11-12 November 2022, with the support of Trondheim Municipality, Trøndelag County Authority, and Innovation Norway.
About the World Regions of Gastronomy
Candidate and awarded World/European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.