Vasyl Fysiuk wins S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy UK final and heads to Milan

The SINO senior sous chef impressed a panel of star judges including Emily Roux, Will Murray and Angelo Sato with a deeply personal pork dish rooted in his Ukrainian heritage.

Vasyl Fysiuk, senior sous chef at contemporary Ukrainian restaurant SINO in London, has been crowned winner of the UK Regional Final of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2026-27.

He will now represent the UK at the Grand Finale in Milan in 2027, where he will go up against the most promising young chefs from around the world.

The Staff Canteen was in attendance as the winners were revealed at a celebratory awards dinner at 26 Leake Street, underneath Waterloo Station in London, following a day of competition and judging at Le Cordon Bleu.

Jesse Burgess, co-founder of TOPJAW and presenter of Apple TV+'s Knife Edge, hosted the evening, with Professor Green among the guests as the stars came out to see who would take home the UK prize.

The winning dish

Vasyl won over a judging panel of Emily Roux, Angelo Sato, Sally Abé, Will Murray, Chantelle Nicholson and Stuart Ralston with his dish 'Becoming, to this day…', an intricate plate of pork tenderloin glazed with elderberry and smoked pear, served with cabbage, beetroot, apple and sauerkraut.

Speaking about his win, Vasyl said: "Winning the UK Regional Final is an incredible feeling, and I'm still trying to take it all in. I'm hugely grateful to S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy for giving young chefs like me the opportunity to share our stories and cooking on such a brilliant platform."

He added: "My dish, Becoming, to this day…, is very personal to me. It's about where I've come from, the experiences that have shaped me and how I continue to evolve as a chef. I wanted to take the traditions I grew up with and reinterpret them through everything I've learnt, while always showing respect for the ingredients.

"To have that story recognised means so much, and I can't wait to represent the UK in Milan next year."

What the judges said

The San Pellegrino UK Judges represented quite the all-star lineup, with Emily, Will, Sally, Stuart and Angelo all in attendance for the evening to celebrate with Vasyl.

The judges' role went beyond tasting the finished dishes. During the competition, the star chefs visited each finalist's kitchen station, giving them an opportunity to see the participants working and to understand their approach before the finished dishes were presented. Sally Abé said the decision had been a tough one, but that Vasyl's food stood out because it represented his roots.

"We were all blown away by every single element of his dish," she said. "It was an elegant, precise and very well-executed plate of food. The sauerkraut foam was a revelation.

"The amount of work involved was clear to the eye, but also on the palate. His story alongside it was incredibly genuine and really representative of his heritage. We're incredibly excited to see how he develops as a chef and represents the UK at the Grand Finale in Milan next year."

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The road to Milan

Ahead of the Grand Finale, Vasyl will continue to work with his mentor Tom Phillips, executive chef at two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Story, who will help him refine his signature dish, develop his culinary philosophy and prepare for the international stage.

Vasyl thanked Tom for his guidance throughout the competition, as well as the judges and the team at SINO for their continued support and belief in him.

The other award winners

Three further awards were handed out on the night, with each winner now in the running for the equivalent global title at the Grand Finale:

• S.Pellegrino for Social Responsibility Award – Benedict Shimwell, with 'Wild Boar, Apples and Beer', selected by the Sustainable Restaurant Association
• Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award – Lesley Serrao, with 'A Sunday at Veronica's', selected by the mentors
• Fine Dining Lovers Award – Lesley Serrao, with 'A Sunday at Veronica's', selected by journalists and industry experts from the Fine Dining Lovers network

A night to celebrate

Dinner on the night was cooked by Ben Miller, a former S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy UK finalist who is now head chef at Alex Dilling's two-Michelin-starred restaurant at Hotel Café Royal, while cocktails came from the bar A Bar With Shapes For A Name.