From hundreds of applications down to 25: get to know the talented chefs advancing through to the second round of the 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship 2025, in association with Parmigiano Reggiano.
The 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship relaunched in partnership with Parmigiano Reggiano in early 2025 to search the globe for the next generation of leading culinary talent. Open to any chef with with under three full years of experience in a professional kitchen, 25 candidates have made their mark and are advancing through to the next stage of the programme.
The prize for this year's winning candidate is the opportunity to kickstart their career through all-expenses-paid internships at world-leading restaurants El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, and SingleThread in Healdsburg, USA, in early 2026.
Here's a snapshot of the 25 candidates vying for the title.
Name: Adrian Viteri
Age: 25
From: Ecuador
Working in: Spain
Current restaurant: Caelis, Barcelona
Follow them: @Adrian_viteri2000
Name: Aimee Dunn
Age: 25
From: South Africa
Working in: South Africa
Current place of work: La Colombe, Cape Town
Follow them: @lilsnoek.cooks
Name: Anderson Greaves
Age: 25
From: Barbados
Working in: Barbados
Current restaurant: Derrière Restaurant, Holetown
Name: Andrés Rodriguez
Age: 22
From: Colombia
Working in: Colombia
Current restaurant: Cascajal, Bogotá
Follow them: @kennahjr11
Name: Angélica Ortiz
Age: 33
From: Colombia
Working in: US
Current restaurant: Café Mars, New York
Follow them: @angeortizmaya
Name: Ayşe Nur Erkal
Age: 23
From: Türkiye
Working in: Türkiye
Current place of work: Culinary student at Istanbul Medipol University
Follow them: @aysenurerkll
Name: Brooke Moore
Age: 22
From: New Zealand
Working in: Australia
Current restaurant: Whitton Malt House, Whitton
Follow them: @brookeemily.m
Name: Charles Harrielson
Age: 36
From: US
Working in: US
Current place of work: Self-employed
Follow them: @charles_harrielson
Name: Christian Nwabunike
Age: 21
From: Nigeria
Working in: Nigeria
Current restaurant: The Burgundy Restaurant by Chef Stone, Abuja
Follow them: @Chrs_xtian
Name: David Araka
Age: 30
From: Nigeria
Working in: Nigeria
Current place of work: Self-employed as private chef
Follow them: @raka_dei
Name: Emilia Messina
Age: 20
From: US
Working in: US
Current place of work: Student at the Culinary Institute of America, New York
Follow them: @milliemessinapastry
Name: Eva Stepak-Heritier
Age: 29
From: France
Working in: France
Current restaurant: Pétrelle, Paris
Follow them: @lecarnetdeva
Name: Guillermo Amado Lordemann
Age: 40
From: Peru
Working in: Switzerland
Current restaurant: Guanaco, Morges
Follow them: @guilleamann
Name: Isabelle Hon
Age: 37
From: Hong Kong
Working in: Canada
Current restaurant: Eight, Calgary
Follow them: @isabelleinyyc
Name: Jessica Sacco
Age: 21
From: Italy
Working in: Spain
Current restaurant: Mont Bar, Barcelona
Follow them: @Jessicasacco_
Name: Joyson Jelly
Age: 19
From: India
Working in: India
Current restaurant: Ye Caterina, Goa
Name: Judilen Schmuck
Age: 35
From: Philippines
Working in: Austria
Current restaurant: Garner Hotel Moser Verdino, Klagenfurt
Follow them: @chef_tatsy
Name: Kenta Asazu
Age: 21
From: US
Working in: Canada
Current restaurant: Bouillon Bilk, Montreal
Follow them: @kentalunch
Name: Lihle Mahambehlala
Age: 25
From: South Africa
Working in: South Africa
Current restaurant: Fyn, Cape Town
Follow them: @Kamvelihle_panda
Name: Luis Enrique Espinosa Cabrera
Age: 23
From: Mexico
Working in: Mexico
Current restaurant: La Olla, Oaxaca City
Follow them: @luis.escab
Name: Marina Cavenaghi
Age: 22
From: Brazil
Working in: Brazil
Current restaurant: Tuju, São Paulo
Follow them: @marinacavenaghi
Name: Nahudy Ruíz Rodriguez
Age: 23
From: Costa Rica
Working in: Costa Rica
Current restaurant: Kalon Surf, Quepos
Follow them: @ruiz_nahu
Name: Sakshi Mayekar
Age: 23
From: India
Working in: India
Current restaurant: Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis
Follow them: @Sakshi_may
Name: Sanskriti Khare
Age: 22
From: US
Working in: US
Current restaurant: Vernick Food and Drink, Philadelphia
Follow them: @sans_khare
Name: Taryn de Kock
Age: 31
From: South Africa
Working in: South Africa
Current place of work: Self-employed at Rebel Yum
Follow them: @tarryngdk
The winner of the 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship, in association with Parmigiano Reggiano, will be revealed in turing at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 awards ceremony on 18 June.
