Culinary Ambassadors
In a remarkable display of skill, creativity, and teamwork, Egypt has once again secured the gold medal and claimed victory in the prestigious “African Culinary Cup for Young Chefs 2024”, making it the nation’s second consecutive victory in the competition. Held on the 4th of September, the event brought together young culinary talents from Egypt, Mauritius, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and showcased the vibrant and evolving culinary scene of Africa and the Middle East.
The African Culinary Cup for Young Chefs 2024 was organized by the Egyptian Chefs Association in collaboration with HACE 2024, one of the largest hospitality exhibitions in Africa. The event, hosted in Egypt, featured a tight competition between the participating nations.
The competition was judged by a panel of esteemed international and regional judges, including culinary experts from India, Russia, and the United States, alongside judges from the competing nations. These judges evaluated the young chefs’ culinary creations based on technique, preparation, presentation, and overall execution.
The journey to victory for Egypt’s young chefs was marked by rigorous training and teamwork, led by experienced mentors. Chef Hany Hamed, one of the trainers of the Egyptian team, shared insights into the preparation process:
“We trained the chefs who were initially selected until we were able to choose the final members. They are four chefs, and we trained them intensively. At first, training was once a week, but later we trained every three days. We provided them with everything they needed, and thank God, we were able to win.”
Karim Atef, the captain of the victorious Egyptian team, played a pivotal role in steering his team to success. He reflected on the weight of his responsibility and the collective spirit that drove the team:
“In Egypt, we have the know-how to win, especially when the competition is held in our country. We face many logistical challenges and lack of financial support when we compete abroad, but at home, we have everything we need to win. As the team captain, I was happy but also felt the great responsibility on my shoulders, knowing that if we lost, it would be in front of our fellow chefs.”
Karim Atef credited the strong bond and cooperation among his team for their victory, emphasizing the importance of expert guidance from seasoned chefs such as Chef Hany Hamed and Chef Yasser Al-Masry.
“The team members were united by the spirit of cooperation. Everyone was on the same page, from the beginning of the training until the day of the competition. On the day itself, I had an inner feeling that we would win, and my mind and heart together believed in victory.”
With this back-to-back victory, Egypt has solidified its place as a rising force in the African culinary world. The country’s consistent performance in prestigious international competitions reflects its growing expertise and creativity in the culinary arts.
As Egypt continues to invest in its culinary future through competitions like the African Culinary Cup for Young Chefs, the nation is poised to become a key player in the global food scene.
