Foodie News
S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition Launches Its Seventh Edition
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition invites chefs under 30 to apply between February 16 and June 9, 2026. This competition emphasizes technical skill, creativity, and personal belief, serving as a platform for mentorship and visibility in fine dining. Winners receive guidance from renowned chefs, enhancing their culinary journeys.
Last Updated on March 20, 2026 by Daily News Staff
If you’re a chef under 30 with a dish that says something real about who you are, S.Pellegrino is officially calling.
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition has launched its seventh edition, opening applications worldwide starting February 16. The program is designed to identify and support the next generation of culinary talent—not just with a trophy at the end, but with mentorship, visibility, and a pathway into the global fine-dining conversation.
Applications are open for four months, closing June 9, 2026, through the official platform at sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com.
More than a contest: a platform for young chefs
S.Pellegrino positions the Young Chef Academy as more than a competition. It’s a development pipeline—a way to help emerging chefs sharpen their voice, pressure-test their ideas, and connect with influential figures in gastronomy.
The Academy emphasizes three core judging elements throughout the process:
- Technical skill
- Creativity
- Personal belief
That last piece matters. This isn’t only about executing a perfect plate—it’s about what you stand for as a chef, and how that shows up in your food.
How the competition works
The competition divides applicants into 15 regions, with selections supported by ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts.
Here’s the flow:
- Applications open (Feb. 16 to June 9, 2026)
- Shortlisted candidates are selected within each region
- Chefs compete in 15 Regional Finals
- Regional winners advance to the Grand Finale
At the Grand Finale, finalists present their dishes to an international jury of renowned chefs.
Alongside the main title, participants can also compete for three collateral awards that recognize:
- Social responsibility
- Connection to culinary heritage
- Expression of personal belief through food
New this edition: mentorship that extends beyond the finale
One of the most interesting updates this year is a new mentorship initiative, aimed at reinforcing the Academy’s long-term commitment to supporting chefs beyond the competition cycle.
As part of that initiative, Ardy Ferguson (Global Winner of the 2024–25 edition) will complete a dedicated mentorship experience, spending three weeks working alongside two internationally recognized chefs who served on the previous jury:
- Julien Royer (Odette, Singapore)
- Jeremy Chan (Ikoyi, London)
Ferguson described the Academy as a career-shaping experience, noting that the continued learning opportunity is a way to keep pushing his craft and build on what the program offers.
Royer and Chan both emphasized what the competition is really testing: not only skill, but conviction—the ability to refine a vision and cook with individuality under pressure.
What applicants need to submit
To apply, chefs under 30 are invited to submit a signature dish that reflects:
- Personal belief
- Technical skill
- Creativity
If you’ve been building a dish that tells your story—your background, your values, your obsession, your point of view—this is the moment the competition is designed for.
Key dates and link
- Applications open: February 16, 2026
- Applications close: June 9, 2026
- Apply / learn more: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/
Source: PRNewswire
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Food and Beverage
Hawksmoor Boston Opens Sept. 8 in Fort Point at 15 Necco Street
Hawksmoor, the acclaimed London steakhouse, opens Sept. 8 in Boston’s Fort Point with dry-aged steaks, seafood, cocktails, and a Sunday roast tradition. Hawksmoor Boston
Last Updated on September 9, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Hawksmoor, the London-born steakhouse known for its charcoal-grilled, dry-aged cuts, is opening its first Boston location on September 8. Hawksmoor Boston is located on the ground floor of 15 Necco Street in Fort Point, with seating for 280 guests indoors and on an outdoor terrace overlooking the Fort Point Channel. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner throughout the week.
What’s on the menu
Hawksmoor says it’s bringing its “do things properly” steakhouse approach to Boston, sourcing from local purveyors using sustainable systems and dry-aging each cut for deeper flavor and tenderness. Steaks are seasoned with Maldon sea salt, cooked over high-heat charcoal, rested before serving, and paired with a side of roasted bone marrow.
The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Thomas Park (previously Saltie Girl; before that Uchi in Austin), with an emphasis on local seafood and technique. Menu highlights include charcoal-roasted scallops wild-harvested from Georges Bank and Maine lobster, plus Boston-specific additions like a Lobster Crumpetand a Beer-Battered Fish Butty made with local haddock and jalapeño tartar sauce.
Sunday Roast + cocktails
Boston will also get a classic British tradition: the Hawksmoor Sunday Roast, featuring slow-cooked dry-aged roast beef served with giant Yorkshire puddings, beef-dripping roast potatoes, vegetables, and bone marrow-onion gravy.
The bar program is led by Beverage Director Liam Davy and includes Hawksmoor staples like Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew, Sour Cherry Negroni, and ultra-cold Direct Martinis served at -2°F, alongside Boston-inspired cocktails and local beers.
Design details + reservations
Designed with Aria Design, the space features dark blue and green paneled walls, leather and velvet seating, and wood-and-brass tabletops—no white tablecloths or black-tie formality. Reservations are now available via OpenTable.
For more information, visit www.thehawksmoor.com/us/locations/boston and follow @HawksmoorBoson Instagram.
Source
- PRNewswire / Hawksmoor press release (Sept. 2, 2026): https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hawksmoor-boston-londons-famous-steakhouse-opens-in-fort-point-on-september-8-302867194.html
Looking for more bites, sips, and local dining news? Head over to STM Daily News’ Food & Drink page for more food and beverage stories: https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink-3/
Sports
Chili’s Takes the ‘19th Hole’ Literally With Golf Course Pop-Up
Chili’s took the 19th-hole tradition to a new level with a limited-time golf course pop-up in Burbank featuring food, specialty margaritas and exclusive golf apparel.
BURBANK, Calif. — Chili’s Grill & Bar took its casual-dining game onto the golf course with a limited-time experience celebrating one of golf’s favorite traditions: the 19th hole.
The restaurant chain transformed the clubhouse at DeBell Golf Club in Burbank, California, into the Chili’s Golf Club, a two-day pop-up held Aug. 28–29. The event welcomed golfers and fans to enjoy Chili’s favorites, specialty drinks and a golf-inspired apparel collaboration.
The concept played off the traditional “19th hole” — the post-round gathering spot where golfers grab food and drinks, talk about the day’s round and, perhaps, make those missed putts sound a little closer than they actually were.
Chili’s Meets the Golf Course
Guests at DeBell could stop by after playing 18 holes — or simply visit the clubhouse — for Chili’s menu favorites such as the Triple Dipper. The pop-up also featured golf-themed drinks including the Transfusion Marg and Tee Time Marg, created specifically for the Chili’s Golf Club experience.
The promotion also teamed Chili’s with active-lifestyle apparel brand Rhoback for a limited-edition Rhoback X Chili’scollection featuring the Chili’s Golf Club crest. The lineup included performance polos, hoodies, quarter-zips, crewnecks and golf hats.
“Chili’s is the people’s clubhouse, so it only made sense to bring that spirit to the course,” George Felix, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Brinker International, said in announcing the campaign.
Food, Golf and Entertainment Collide
Chili’s extended the promotion beyond the course with a campaign film celebrating everyday golfers — particularly those whose enthusiasm for the game may be considerably stronger than their scorecards.
The film featured appearances by Wesley Bryan, Caleb Pressley, Jena Sims Koepka, Chaz Bowker, Josh Kelley and JaNa Craig, bringing together golf, entertainment, food and lifestyle culture around the familiar 19th-hole tradition.
Although the Burbank pop-up lasted only two days, the campaign offers another example of restaurant brands looking beyond the dining room to connect food with sports, entertainment and fan culture.
For Chili’s, that meant finding a place where burgers, margaritas, golf stories and questionable scorecards already seemed like a natural fit.
Source
- Chili’s — “Chili’s is Fulfilling Every Golfer’s Dream by Opening on a Golf Course. Yes, Really.” — Original Aug. 26, 2026 press release announcing the Chili’s Golf Club promotion.
Related Links
- Chili’s Golf Club — Official Event Page — Details about the DeBell Golf Club takeover, food, specialty margaritas and Rhoback collaboration.
- DeBell Golf Club — Official Website — Information about the Burbank public golf course that hosted the Chili’s Golf Club.
- DeBell Golf Club — Golf Course Information — Background on the 18-hole, par-71 municipal course in the Verdugo Mountains.
- Rhoback X Chili’s Golf Club Collaboration — Rhoback’s official page covering the limited-edition golf apparel collaboration.
- Rhoback Official Website — More from the active-lifestyle apparel company involved in the Chili’s Golf Club campaign.
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Food
Hellmann’s Calls the Plays for Game Day Food With New Football Campaign
Hellmann’s is kicking off football season with “Call for Hellmann’s,” a new campaign combining the language of the gridiron with burgers, chicken tenders and other game day favorites.
Football season is back, and for many fans, what’s on the table can be almost as important as what’s happening on the field.
Hellmann’s Kicks Off Football Season With New Game Day Food Campaign
Hellmann’s is leaning into that connection between football and food with “Call for Hellmann’s,” a new fall campaign built around burgers, chicken tenders, sliders and the familiar language of the sidelines.
Announced September 2, the campaign puts a football spin on game-day cooking, positioning Hellmann’s mayonnaise and flavored condiments as part of the playbook for tailgates, watch parties and Sunday afternoon spreads.
Turning Game Day Food Into a Football Play
The campaign takes familiar football terminology and applies it to another game-day ritual: deciding what everyone is going to eat.
Two advertising spots anchor the campaign.
In “Make the Call,” Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise is paired with a classic burger, while “Chicky Tenders” features chicken tenders served with Hellmann’s Chipotle and Spicy varieties.
The commercials use coach-inspired direction, football language and original music influenced by classic football movies. The result is a combination of sports nostalgia, humor and plenty of food imagery.
“Football and food have always gone hand in hand and Hellmann’s has a natural place in so many of the dishes that fans reach for on game day,” Jessica Grigoriou, SVP Marketing, Condiments at Unilever North America, said in the announcement.
Grigoriou said the campaign is designed to have fun with language football fans already recognize while celebrating the foods and traditions that bring people together throughout the season.
Hellmann’s Heads to the Stadium
The campaign isn’t staying on television and social media.
Hellmann’s plans to bring its Manny Mayo mascot and food truck to several NFL stadiums during September and October, serving sliders while offering trivia, giveaways and other activities.
Scheduled appearances include:
- September 13 — MetLife Stadium
- September 20 — MetLife Stadium
- October 4 — Lincoln Financial Field
- October 11 — Gillette Stadium
The activation complements Hellmann’s existing football partnerships, which span both the professional and college games.
The brand has relationships with the New York Giants, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans, along with the Big Ten Conference and college programs including Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Texas and Georgia.
Game Day Is Also Food Day
The campaign taps into something football fans have known for generations: watching the game is often a food event of its own.
Burgers, wings, chicken tenders, nachos, dips, sliders and sandwiches have become staples of football weekends, whether fans are tailgating outside the stadium or watching from the couch.
That makes condiments particularly easy territory for a food brand to connect itself with football culture. Rather than introducing an entirely new game-day tradition, Hellmann’s is putting its products into foods many fans are already preparing.
And the campaign arrives just as kitchens, grills and backyard patios across the country are getting ready for another season of football gatherings.
What’s on Your Game Day Menu?
Maybe it’s burgers hot off the grill. Maybe it’s a giant plate of wings. Perhaps your football tradition involves nachos, chili, sliders or a bowl of homemade dip that disappears before halftime.
Whatever your starting lineup looks like, Hellmann’s wants a spot on the roster this season.
The “Call for Hellmann’s” campaign will run throughout football season across national television, streaming platforms and social media.
For football fans, meanwhile, there is another important call to make:
What are we eating during the game?
Official Hellmann’s resources:
Hellmann’s Game Day Recipe Ideas
Hellmann’s Game Day Recipes
Hellmann’s Game Day Dip Recipes
Source: Hellmann’s/PRNewswire, September 2, 2026.
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