Filipino young Chef John Rivera wins San Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 with his signatured "Sinigang" dish

This young pinoy chef John Rivera from Amaru in Melbourne seem to take over Filipino food to the world. He bested 10 of the best Australian, New Zealand  and Pacific region's most best rising chefs in the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 local competition.

The 23-year-old chef presented his Asian influenced cuisine "Sinigang" dish which probably amazed the judges. John's signature dish is the traditional hot and sour Filipino soup flavored with tamarind miso with coconut and taro puree, a broth made from a tomato reduction infused with prawns, native mountain pepper and kelp, calamansi leaf oil, foraged greens and of course a gently steamed piece of fish.

“This competition means a lot for young chefs and Filipinos in my generation who are looking for their heritage and ways to show it in their food. We need to go out there and fly our flag – the world is ready for us. There are many South East Asian nations that have recognition, and the Philippines is the final frontier. This opportunity wouldn’t have come to me in the Philippines. That is the great thing about Australia, [it has] given us all the platform,” John says in beanscenemag.

John will now compete in the global finals round along with 21 other young chefs, taking place in June 2018 in Milan, Italy.