On Sunday, 11 October 2026, Euro-Toques Ireland celebrated the winners of its Young Chef of the Year and Rising Pastry Chef of the Year competitions at its annual Gala dinner at the InterContinental Hotel, Dublin. Presented by La Rousse Foods, the competitions recognise and nurture Ireland’s emerging culinary talent, connecting young chefs with established professionals, artisan producers and the wider food community.The evening carries particular significance as Euro-Toques Ireland marks its 40th anniversary, celebrating four decades of championing Irish food culture, supporting artisan producers and bringing chefs and communities together around the table.
Jack Rice (right) representing Comet Restaurant, was crowned Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2026, following a demanding final in which six finalists were challenged to design two original dishes: a main course and either a starter or a dessert. The brief centred on a centre-cut Dexter beef sirloin on the bone from Brave Herders in Co. Cork, alongside organic rye, spelt and wholemeal flours from Dunany Flour in Co. Louth, and butter and yoghurt from Salt Rock Farm. The ingredients were selected to celebrate the richness of Ireland’s regional larder, highlighting the relationship between exceptional produce, its provenance and the creativity of the chefs.The six finalists were Áine Budds (Comet), Shannon Caulfield (Ashford Castle), Aymeric Decourval (Lady Helen at Mount Juliet), Sam Nourse (Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen), Jack Rice (Comet) and Simone Tamilio (Bar Pez).
The judging panel brought together leading chefs from Ireland and abroad: Conor Halpenny (Square), Gareth Mullins (Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel), Rafael Cagali (Da Terra, London), Maca de Castro (Restaurante Maca de Castro, Mallorca), Keelan Higgs (Variety Jones), Lewis Barker (Terre at Castlemartyr Resort) and Domini Kemp (Lottie’s). Their combined experience offered the finalists an opportunity to be assessed by professionals working across a range of culinary traditions, restaurant styles and international markets.
The Young Chef of the Year competition is about much more than winning a title. Over almost six months, finalists take part in a programme of experiences designed to broaden their horizons, deepen their understanding of Irish food and connect them with the people behind the ingredients.
This year, the journey took the chefs to County Louth, where they visited Dunany Flour, an award-winning organic farm-to-flour business, to learn about grain production, milling and the value of provenance. At Carlingford Oyster Company, they explored oyster farming and tasted the produce at its source, gaining a closer understanding of the work involved in bringing local seafood to the table.
Back in Dublin, Keelan Higgs welcomed the finalists to Variety Jones, demonstrating how to work with Irish Dexter beef and sharing practical advice informed by his experience as a chef and former competition judge. The breed’s connection to Ireland’s farming heritage provided an opportunity to explore a distinctive local ingredient and consider how best to express its qualities in the kitchen. Lali González, pastry chef at Glovers Alley, shared her approach to pastry and the competition ingredients, while Saltrock Dairy introduced the finalists to its products.
The programme also included a visit to Omos, where chef-patron Cuan Greene welcomed the young chefs into the restaurant’s kitchens and gardens, sharing dishes from the menu and insights into his approach to ingredients.
The international dimension of the competition continued with a visit to Da Terra in London, where the finalists experienced the work of Rafael Cagali, one of this year’s guest judges. Together, these experiences demonstrate the value of learning directly from producers and established chefs, encouraging the next generation to combine technical skill with a strong understanding of place, seasonality and food culture.
Euro-Toques Ireland also announced 
Aengus Moloney (right) of Aniar in Galway as the winner of the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year 2026, presented by La Rousse Foods. The competition celebrates the craft, precision and imagination of Ireland’s emerging pastry talent, providing a platform for chefs to develop their skills, exchange knowledge and explore the possibilities of their profession.
Aengus Moloney (right) of Aniar in Galway as the winner of the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year 2026, presented by La Rousse Foods. The competition celebrates the craft, precision and imagination of Ireland’s emerging pastry talent, providing a platform for chefs to develop their skills, exchange knowledge and explore the possibilities of their profession.The five finalists competing this year were Aengus Moloney (Aniar), Aoife Comerford (Liath), Alena Pazitna (The Merrion Hotel), Francesca Kearns (Ashford Castle) and Masha Campbell (My Kitchen by Sham Hanifa).
The judging panel comprised Conor Halpenny (Square), Gareth Mullins (Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel), Tom Phelan (Lady Helen at Mount Juliet), Orna Larkin (InterContinental Dublin) and Lali González (Glovers Alley by Adam Nevin).
Presented in partnership with La Rousse Foods, the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year competition reflects Euro-Toques Ireland’s commitment to supporting emerging culinary talent and ensuring that pastry craftsmanship continues to evolve while remaining connected to the wider food culture.
Founded in Ireland in 1986, Euro-Toques Ireland has spent four decades championing the country’s culinary heritage, supporting artisan producers and nurturing the chefs who will shape its future. Its work is rooted in the belief that food is inseparable from the people, places and traditions behind it.
The 2026 anniversary theme, “Community at the Table”, reflects this ethos. From the farmer and producer to the chef and the diner, the food journey depends on relationships, shared knowledge and a collective commitment to quality and provenance.
The competitions embody that philosophy by giving young chefs access to mentorship, producer visits and professional networks that extend well beyond the final. They also help bring Ireland’s food story to a wider audience, connecting regional ingredients and culinary traditions with contemporary cooking and international perspectives.
As Euro-Toques Ireland looks to the future, the anniversary is both a celebration of its legacy and a reaffirmation of its mission: to protect food heritage, support producers, nurture chefs and bring people together around the table.
The Euro-Toques Ireland Gala Dinner brought together chefs, producers, judges, partners and members of the wider food community for an evening celebrating Irish culinary talent and the relationships that sustain it. The dinner was led by Alberto Rossi and the InterContinental Dublin kitchen team, with a menu showcasing the skill of participating chefs and the quality of Irish ingredients.
The event was supported by principal partner La Rousse Foods, alongside the competition’s producers, mentors, judges and community partners, whose time, expertise and commitment make the programme possible.
ABOUT the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year CompetitionPresented by La Rousse Foods, the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition celebrates emerging professional culinary talent in Ireland. It offers participants a platform for professional development, mentorship and recognition, while encouraging them to engage with Irish producers, understand provenance and seasonality, and develop their own culinary identity.
The 2026 finalists were challenged to create two original dishes – a main course and either a starter or dessert – using a centre-cut Dexter beef sirloin on the bone from Brave Herders, Co. Cork; organic rye, spelt and fine wholemeal flours from Dunany Flour, Co. Louth; and butter and/or yoghurt from Saltrock Dairy.
2026 finalists and restaurants
- Áine Budds – Comet, mentor Kevin O’Donne
- Shannon Caulfield – Ashford Castle
- Aymeric Decourval – Lady Helen at Mount Julie
- Sam Nourse – Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen
- Jack Rice – Comet
- Simone Tamilio – Bar Pez
2026 judging panel (above)
- Conor Halpenny – Square
- Gareth Mullins – Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel
- Rafael Cagali – Da Terra
- Maca de Castro – Restaurante Maca de Castro
- Keelan Higgs – Variety Jones
- Lewis Barker – Terre at Castlemartyr Resort
- Domini Kemp – Lottie’s
About the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year Competition
Presented by La Rousse Foods, the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year competition celebrates Ireland’s emerging pastry talent, encouraging creativity, technical excellence and the development of pastry craftsmanship.
2026 finalists and restaurants
- Aengus Moloney – Aniar (dish on right)
- Aoife Comerford – Liath
- Alena Pazitna – The Merrion Hotel
- Francesca Kearns – Ashford Castle
- Masha Campbell – My Kitchen by Sham Hanifa
2026 judging panel
- Conor Halpenny – Square
- Gareth Mullins – Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel
- Tom Phelan – Lady Helen at Mount Juliet
- Orna Larkin – InterContinental Dublin
- Lali González – Glovers Alley by Adam Nevin
Key producers featured in the Young Chef of the Year brief
- Brave Herders, Co. Cork – Dexter beef sirloin
- Dunany Flour, Co. Louth – organic rye, spelt and fine wholemeal flours
- Saltrock Dairy – butter and/or yoghurt
The prizes for the Young chef winner
A chef’s stage at one of the judges kitchens: either Da Terra restaurant in London with chef Rafael Cagali or Restaurante Maca de Castro under Macarena de Castro in Mallorca.
Kenwood Chef Titanium XL; a one-day knife course with Sam Gleeson; a voucher for sharpening knives Sharpen Shack; a bottle of Two Shores Superior Irish Rum
The prizes for the Rising Pastry chef winner
A visit specialist food decorator PCB Creation in Strasbourg, France, a stage with one of the category’s judges, a Kenwood Chef Titanium XL and a bottle of Two Shores Superior Irish Rum.
Young Chef of The Year 2026
The dishes (as presented in the competition)
Aine Budds – Comet
Main dish: BBQ Dexter beef, mole poblano, golden beet rye tarte fine with marmite black garlic glaze, herb salad, brown butter beef sauce
Dessert: Compressed choux eclair, Salt Rock butter mousseline, blood plum jam, white chocolate crumb, white chocolate mirror glaze
Shannon Caulfield- Ashford Castle
Main dish: Brave Herders Dexter sirloin, Salt Rock dairy pomme purée, Ashford Estate artichoke purée, garden kale, sauce bordelaise.
Dessert: Plum and hazelnut frangipane tart.
Aymeric Decourval – Lady Helen at Mount Juliet
Main dish: Dexter Sirloin cooked on the bone, girolles, pommes Anna
Dessert: Highbank Orchards apple, Dunany flour sablé breton, Salt Rock dairy yoghurt sorbet
Sam Nourse – Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen
Main dish: Elevated Sunday Roast Dexter beef, onion, ‘mushroom’, black pudding, pear & horseradish
Dessert: Pancino, black currant, Killahora apple ice wine caramel, ‘soft serve’ mascarpone & parsley
Jack Rice – Comet (dishes on right)
Main dish: The Past and Present of Beef in Ireland
Dessert: Mum’s apple Tart
Simone Tamilio – Bar Pez
Main dish: Dexter beef strip on the bone, smoked Salt Rock brown butter jus gras
Side plate: Poached & BBQ celeriac; Salt Rock labneh; pine nut praline; cavolo nero & basil purée; Dexter liver meatball; crispy cavolo nero, Dunany spelt flour milk bread
Dessert: Upside down fig cake; whipped Salt Rock yoghurt mousse; flambé of Cointreau
-ends-