ASM Global’s culinary division SAVOR, which provides elevated food experiences for the globe’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention/exhibition centers and performing arts venues, has announced the national winners of the American round of the world’s only competition for young culinary and hospitality talent.
Thomas Mendel, chef from Hamel Winery; Jaclyn Bisantz, waitress from Harbor House; and Marco Guillen, mixologist from Four Seasons Napa, were crowned as winners of the U.S. leg of the renowned World Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist (WorldYYY) competition — the only event of its kind.
“This syncs very nicely with the work ASM Global does nationally to develop deep relationships with our local communities and reach out to educate, train and employ culinary talent via scholarship, internship and apprenticeship programs,” said Shaun Beard, SAVOR’s senior vice present of food and beverage.
“As ASM Global continues to elevate the food experience in many of the world’s premiere venues, these up-and-coming talents will be part of our universe,” Beard said. “The composure, creativity and determination we’ve seen from all the competitors in this high-pressure situation was truly unmatched and is proof that we have so much to look forward to from these young stars. We are proud to help pave the way for them and are excited to see what they do next.”
SAVOR’s Team USA members will next compete in the WorldYYY finals at Swissôtel The Stamford in Singapore this November. They will showcase their abilities to world-class chefs, hospitality experts and esteemed mixologists. A total of 36 contestants from 12 countries will compete for the world titles of Best Young Chef, Young Waiter and Young Mixologist.
The finals ofYYY USA recently took place at the prestigious The Culinary Institute of America at Copia (CIA) in Napa, California, with a panel of expert judges, including Master Chef Roland Passot, propriétaire and chief culinary officer; Tournament of Champions’ Tracey Shepos Cenami, executive chef and cheese specialist at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens; and Food Network Chef Adam Sobel, partner of Mina Group anointing the winners.
ASM Global’s SAVOR division became a strategic partner of the competition nearly five years ago as part of its worldwide commitment to nurturing and identifying new talent, introducing them to the hospitality space and showcasing them to renowned culinary industry leaders.
