The second edition of "Stars Cooking – Young Challenge" will take place on February 5-6 in Pordenone, conceived by Fabrizio Nonis to showcase the top Italian chefs under 35 and raise awareness about ethics in the kitchen.
The event
If there's a way to help young talents break into the crystallized world of fine dining, it's through dedicated competitions and events: San Pellegrino and Luigi Cremona have focused on the competition to discover tomorrow's big names; Fabrizio Nonis, butcher, journalist, and gastronome better known as "El Bekér," preferred to organize a congress where every promise can deliver their magnum opus and shape it into a dish, without rankings.
It's called "Young Challenge," and it will take place on February 5-6 at the Center of Excellence of Electrolux Professional in Pordenone, a somewhat forgotten territory with great resources. The entrance, reserved for professionals, costs 60 euros per day, but it's already practically sold out. The format is original, featuring 8 chefs or sous-chefs under 35 accompanied by 6 distinguished mentors; the theme is ethical emancipation, which means innovation, avant-garde, sustainability, and the future.
What sets this event apart from others?
The fact that young chefs can express their ideas freely and independently, as happened last year, without cumbersome sponsors. I wanted to give space to these incredible young talents, working in Italy and around the world, often overshadowed by big names. Yet, they are the ones driving the daily operations in the kitchens and propelling the menus of great chefs, who oversee them. We must never forget the past, which is why we include mentors who are also recognized.
How did you choose them?
I wanted a female perspective with Alessandra Del Favero, who, along with Oliver Piras, was awarded at Carpaccio for the best Italian restaurant abroad, plus Viviana Varese as a mentor. Then there's Matteo Metullio, a 34-year-old icon from Friuli Venezia Giulia; Mattia Barni, an incredible talent, placed by Alajmo at the helm of the Cortina restaurant, while his brother manages Marrakech; Francesco Vincenzi, the soul of Franceschetta 58; Andrea Drago, former right-hand of Paolo Casagrande, awarded this year in Alicante... These young talents are our opportunity. I believe they will be the protagonists of the culinary scene in the next ten years.
The title mentions "ethical emancipation"
Because we need to re-emancipate ourselves with food in an ethical way. In the post-war era, eating meat was a status symbol reserved for a few. Then there was the boom in the '70s, with a rush to fill freezers. Now, there's almost a demonization underway, but for the past 10 years, I've been promoting the concept of "ethical meat": killing fewer animals and consuming even the lesser-known cuts, such as forequarters and the fifth quarter. This applies to red tuna as well, which seems challenging to serve nowadays. But demonizing a food itself is wrong. We need to take a step back, not wasting food or water.
Is this the message for the future big names?
I've been in this profession for 22 years and observed them; I started as a teenager in a butcher shop, so I developed a keen eye for young talents while cultivating friendships with established chefs. All those who participate are sent enthusiastically by their superiors. In the next 10 years, they will be in their forties with the utmost awareness; this journey is in their hands.
We need to convince them to stop using plastic and straws without giving up meat, rather by appreciating other cuts. I don't see why we should invent synthetic meat when we already have the real thing. It would involve endless costs and research, which could be used for more urgent purposes, such as animal welfare or medicine. Sacrificing an animal's life is not easy, but it's a constant in human history. Let's invest so that animal welfare becomes human well-being; sacrifice becomes a matter of honor and privilege.
Will this be the focus of the dishes?
I asked the young chefs to express this thought freely, not necessarily using meat. There will also be vegetarian recipes because ethics and respect are needed in every field, considering strawberries in January or deforestation for new crops. In every sector, there is good and bad, but together we can bring about a turning point that must evolve into a trend, a new wave.
