Returning for its third edition, the competition for chefs under the age of 30 has broadened its scope with a new region for eligible candidates. Following the success of previous editions, the contest is now open to young chefs in Central America and the Caribbean. Plus, talented hopefuls can now apply in Spanish, Mandarin, French, Italian and English. 

From February 1, chefs aged under 30 can sign up to compete for the title of "S.Pellegrino Young Chef," whether practicing their trade in New York, Paris or Sydney. To enter, contenders are asked to send the recipe and a photo of their signature dish via the website www.sanpellegrino.com. A pre-selection will then be carried out by Italy's most prestigious cooking school, the Scuola Iinternazionale di Cucina Italiana, to select 10 semi-finalists from each of the 21 world regions open to the competition. 

With more than 3,000 entrants from 190 countries, the competition is a growing success. The latest edition will extend the duration of the contest, which will now be held over 18 months to give young hopefuls more time to prepare for each round. The seven big-name chefs signed up to pick this year's hottest rising talent will be revealed in 2018. The competition final will take place June 22 and 23, 2018, in Milan, Italy. 

The previous edition was won by American chef Mitch Lienhard. He was mentored by French chef Dominique Crenn, who heads the double-Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn restaurant in San Francisco, USA.