The 33-year old scion of a Carinthian restaurateur family completed his culinary training with Heinz Hanner at the gourmet restaurant "Hanner", holding 3 Gault Millau toques. He then trained under the German 3-star chefs Harald Wohlfahrt, Sven Elverfeld and Klaus Erfort, as well as completing a one-year placement with the Michelin-star chef Jean-Georges Klein in Baerenthal. Returning to Austria, he cooked alongside Manuel Ressi at Gasthaus Plamenig, achieving his first Gault Millau toque. He took on his first head chef position at Waldhof Resort Scheffau in 2015. The winner of the "Rookies of the Year" (2010) and "Junge Wilde" (2017) young talent competitions honed his craft from 2018 as sous chef to Jan Hartwig at the 3 Michelin star restaurant "Atelier" at Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Since summer 2022, Stefan Glantschnig has been the leaseholder and head chef of the boutique Hotel Neusacherhof at Weissensee, where he re-imagines classic tavern food currently at a 2 Gault Millau toque level and cleverly marries together local flavours with flavours from Italy and Slovenia.

Jean-Yves Bournot was born in the Paris region on 27 April 1979, into a Breton family. In 1998, he obtained his CAP in pastry-, chocolate- and ice-cream-making. He then embarked on an adventure working with some of France's greatest chefs, such as the Pourcel brothers and Thierry Marx. Under the golds of the Meurice, he developed his cooking skills thanks to the friendship of Yannick Alléno, who sent him to work as a chef at the Cheval Blanc Courchevel. In 2013, he took off to open the Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal. Jean-Yves was soon spotted by culinary guides and critics, thanks to his modern and contemporary cuisine. Anne Sophie Pic entrusted him with the keys to the Dame de Pic in Paris. In 2018, the Four Seasons group called on him to become right-hand man to three-starred chef Christian Le Squer, helping to promote French agriculture and crafts.

I started my apprenticeship to be a cook when I was 16 years old. Things went different as expected. Not only one kitchen was my daily workspace – but many different kitchens in different countries. I learned to assert myself early on and everything went out pretty good.

I joined Masterschool in Rostock in order to develop and I also worked as a cook at "Marina Residence Hohe Düne" at the same time. After finishing Masterschool, I moved to Switzerland and had a wonderful time in Davos.

My first long trip was to Australia – I lived there for 1,5 years, enjoyed the country and worked as a cook.

A very special reason took me back to Germany – to Leipzig. I was Head of a cooking school for 2,5 years.

After that, I moved to Arabic El Gouna and worked was specialist teacher for a German hotel school. I had wonderful experiences and good food. All 50 trainees passed their exam successfully. I said good bye to Gouna and became self-imployed 6 years ago.

These days, I travel all over Europe and support/advise different high level restaurants as a chef de cuisine.

Rafał was born on September 26, 1988 in Nowe Miasto Lubawskie, Poland. A cook, a craftsman with principles and character, great determination and dedication.

Winner of the world competition The Best Chef Rising Star Awards 2017 and also winner of the International CHEF Culinary Cup 2018, ambassador of the plant-based campaign.

His culinary adventure began when he was only 17 years old, working in restaurants and hotels in the country and abroad, his culinary artistry is appreciated by painters such as Zora Mann or the well-known and respected artist Pedro Martin Rojo. Specializes in local cuisine, loves unusual, surprising, controversial flavor combinations and working with seafood, he is fascinated by wild herbs, which he collects in the forest and brings to your kitchen. Rafał is a talented cook, his stubbornness, dedication, passion definitely they strive for continuous excellence in his cuisine, which translates into his dishes! Is a supporter of traditional cuisine with modern accents and loves to implement new ones cooking techniques. Co-owner and chef of the Sopot Fisherman Restaurant which was among the 50 best restaurants in the country according to the FORBES ranking.

He started his career in 2017, at only 19 years old. His first work experience was as a chef in a 4-star hotel, "Sun Garden Resort" in Dej, under the supervision of Master Adrian Pop. He gained knowledge both in terms of cooking time and efficient division of tasks, as well as in organizing events.

Life took him to places and restaurants that left their mark on his cooking technique. In 2019, he was Junior Sous Chef in a "fine dining" restaurant in Bucharest, and then, at the end of the year, he became assistant manager at the Horeca Culinary School, one of the best culinary schools in Romania. Here he was trained and in turn trained other students, at the same time strengthening his belief that investment in education and schooling is extremely important to be able to have professionals in the Horeca field.

In 2020, he decides to continue his culinary journey in England, where he worked as a Sous Chef at "Cuvee VIII", in Esher, a restaurant with a "fine dining" specialty. After a year of activity in this restaurant, he is engaged in a new location, "Barraca by Claudio Costea" in Hemel Hempstead, where he will run his own kitchen, proving his qualification for the position of Head Chef.

Now he is Head Chef at "Elania Resort" in Cluj Napoca.

Throughout his career, he participates in numerous national and international culinary competitions. Among the most representative awards are the 1st place at the "Arena Bucătarilor" 2017, the silver medal at the "Global Chef Challenge" in Italy and the silver and bronze medals won at the World Gastronomy Olympiad in Germany.

I grew up in a small region of the Costa Brava, the Alto Ampurdán (Figueres). My childhood is full of memories with my siblings enjoying the Mediterranean Sea and the flavors of my mother's meals. I have undertaken significant projects in my life, such as my company, which I started 10 years ago: a restaurant in Figueres, the city of "Salvador Dalí", where sea and mountain come together as one.

Deciding when you are a teenager what your future is going to be is not always easy. My vocation was closer than I thought because I had the best mentor, my mother who's a great cook. I trained at the Vilamalla Hospitality School (Girona) for 3 years of hard work, and my first job opportunity was in a small restaurant in Sant Pere Pescador, "Can Ceret". But the chef who has left the biggest mark on me was Xavi Sacristà, a disciple of Ferran Adrià, who taught me the importance of respecting the product.

I believe that my strongest asset is my versatility as a chef, my curiosity to keep learning, but my greatest strength is undoubtedly my two teams: my family and the one that accompanies me every day in the restaurant, because without these two I would not have reached where I am.

Working as a chef, it's almost impossible to choose just one dish: from the prawns of Palamós to the best suckling lamb from the Pyrenees. But undoubtedly, if I had to choose just one, would be the typical Catalan dish, "Casserole and Meat Stew" (Escudella i carn d'olla) prepared by my mother, which is enjoyed in all Catalan homes at Christmas.

My name is Christian Oliveira. I am 28 years old and come from Bern. I have over 10 years of professional experience. I am a former member of the national culinary team Switzerland and was able to celebrate great successes in the team. Cooking for me is an art and a philosophy: every detail of a dish must harmonize, much like a completed chapter in a book. My passion stems from familial traditions, shaped by my father. This legacy is more than just a craft; it's a deep connection to the past. In an era of convenience meals, I feel obligated to emphasize the importance of fresh ingredients and handmade dishes. For me, cooking is not just a skill but also a heritage and a responsibility. I like to challenge society to rediscover and value the art of mindful eating and cooking.

Workplace: Chef – owner at "Tuna by Martin" and "Ceviche Bar"

Martin is an Argentinian chef who has lived in Warsaw for 15 years. He is widely known as one of the best and most creative culinary artists in Poland. He first attracted the public's attention when he became the Winner of the inaugural edition of TV Show "Polish Top Chef".

After his debut, Martin created "Salto" restaurant - one of the most prestigious and unforgettable gastronomic experiences in Warsaw.

Then, Martin's passion for seafood inspired him to create "Ceviche Bar", a popular spot for local gourmets and fish lovers, which quickly became a must-visit place for all visitors to Warsaw.

In 20 years in kitchens around the world, including 3 Michelin star restaurants, Martin has become an expert in fish and seafood and contemporary cooking techniques.

Achievements:
- Winner of the inaugural edition of Polish Top Chef
- Gault & Millau Award Chef of Tomorrow 2016
- Winner of the Warsaw Insider Award - Foreign Chef

Workplace: owner at "Moonsfera" restaurant and President of Polish Chefs and Pastry Chefs Association.

Jarek is a Chef with a lot of experience, for many years he has been the President of Polish Chefs and Pastry Chefs Association as well as the trainer of the Polish BBQ Kings team.

He owed the beginnings of his career to the opening of the famous Bristol Hotel in Warsaw, where he gained knowledge for 5 years. Then he opened the "99" restaurant in Warsaw, which was listed by the European Wall Street Journal as one of the 10 best restaurants in Europe.

The next step was the opening of the "Moonsfer" a restaurant on the roof of the Olympic Center where you can meet him every day. As the President of the Association, he undertook to create a national team, which he is still involved till today.

Achievements:
- 1st place in the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest 2013 in the best sauce category
- Two silver medals with the National Team at the Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart 2020
- Two silver medals with the National Team at the World Cup in Luxemburg 2018

Workplace: Chef Trainer at Transgourmet Ibérica

Chef Rocío has an extensive knowledge and experience in culinary techniques, food preparation, the use of equipment and utensils, and a deep understanding of ingredients and flavors. She effectively communicates her expertise to others, adapting her teaching approach to cater to different levels of skill and experience. Rocío possesses strong communication skills, enabling her to interact with students and team members, providing clear and constructive feedback. She is adaptable to different learning styles and excels in facing various challenges in both the kitchen environment and the training process. Rocío has a remarkable ability to foster creativity and innovation in the kitchen, encouraging students to develop new ideas and dishes. Furthermore, she comprehends the training needs of the company's students and provides support to other departments of the company related to fresh produce. Keeping up with the latest culinary trends and assortments, Rocío ensures that the training remains relevant and up-to-date.

Achievement:
- Director of Bulli Catering Barcelona in 2007.
- Finalist of MasterChef Spain 2016.
- Chef trainer on MasterChef Spain from 2017 to 2022

Rudolf Obauer, who together with his brother Karl has run the Restaurant & Hotel Obauer in Salzburg Land since 1981, is undoubtedly one of Austria's most influential and internationally renowned chefs. Trained at the elite universities of classically French cuisine – after his apprenticeship at the Salzburg hotel "Goldener Hirsch", Obauer also completed stages of his journey with the Troisgros brothers, Èmile Jung in Strasbourg and Alain Chapel among others – Rudi Obauer has been bringing the taste of the world to the small village of Werfen in the Pongau region for 40 years now. For the contemporary regional cuisine already celebrated at the Restaurant Obauer for decades, in which local ingredients and traditional recipes meet sophisticated, precious products and great, creative culinary craftsmanship, the Obauers were in 1995 first awarded four – now five – Gault-Millau toques, which they have held continuously to this day. In 1996, the Obauer brothers were also straightaway awarded two stars by the Guide Michelin, and in 2012 they were given the title "Chefs of the Decade 2004-2013" by Gault Millau Austria.

Karl and Rudi Obauer have turned the former tavern on Werfen's village square into not just a world-class culinary destination, however, but also a training ground for tomorrow's national and international chef elite. The Obauer kitchen is regarded as one of the toughest schools a young chef can go through – but also as one of the most instructive. At the same time, Rudi Obauer's interest in and his commitment to up-and-coming chefs has for many years extended beyond work in his own establishment. For example, Obauer has acted as a juror in various national competitions for young talent and in the competition "Chef of the Year", among other things, and also headed the Austrian Bocuse d'Or Committee for several years.

The list of fine dining addresses at which Leo Aichinger has already proven his high-class technique and fine intuition for aromas and textures is as long as it is international: having completed his apprenticeship at the Restaurant Schafelner in the town of Haag in Lower Austria, which received two Gault Millau toques, he was first drawn to Vienna and as a junior chef to the stove of Heinz Reitbauer's Restaurant Steirereck, the winner of five Gault Millau toques. His path then took him to the "Freisinger Hof" in Munich, and then as sous-chef to Alain Weissgerber at his "Blaue Gans" in Weiden in Burgenland, another toque-winning restaurant. In the following years, Aichinger's thirst for knowledge, ambition and still undiminished joy in immersing himself in the world's different cuisines allowed him to strike camp at, among other places, the 5-star hotel Round Hill in Montego Bay and the 5-star Hotel Laguna Beach Resort in Phuket. At the Relais & Château Schloss Dürnstein in the Wachau, Aichinger finally cooked his way to a Gault Millau toque as a head chef, until, after another stopover at Joachim Gradwohl's gourmet temple "Maestro", he changed over to Transgourmet Austria in 2004, playing a leading role in the development and setup of the premium product sales model Transgourmet Cook and the establishing of the Transgourmet Cook chef studios.

As Transgourmet Cook Executive Chef, Leo Aichinger has since 2011 been the heart, brain, hand and most important culinary ambassador of Transgourmet Cook – and at the same time still a passionate chef and product-loving craftsman of culinary pleasures, who straddles the worlds of nouvelle cuisine and modern fusion in elegant style. Creativity and precise taste still have to go hand in hand for him, which he has consistently demonstrated, not least of all in his previous assignments as a juror in a wide variety of national competitions for up-and-coming chefs and as a juror in the qualifying round for "Les Chefs en Or" in Paris, held in Romania.

Lady Chef Cornelia Ghișoi is the Secretary General of the National Association of Chefs and Confectioners from Romania, founding member of the Euro-Toques Romania association, member of the international jury, member of Escoffier Romania, culinary instructor, collaborator of the PanGastRo Academy, collaborator of the Horeca School - a school with an open vision of the gastronomic future and mentor to hundreds of chefs and students in training. With over 35 years of experience in HoReCa, it plays an important role in the development of gastronomy and tourism in Romania.

The first Lady Chef from Romania and South-Eastern Europe, who was, until recently, Executive Chef at a five-star hotel in Brașov. She dedicated her career to both secondary school students and students from the Faculty of Food and Tourism of Transilvania University from Brașov, where as an associate professor she carried out many projects together with the students. The last project, implemented in March 2023, consisted in the coordination of a team of students that participated in a national competition, obtaining outstanding results: 1st place for Gastronomy and 2nd place for Confectionery and Pastry.

She is the winner of numerous gold and silver medals at the World Olympics (Erfurd, Stuttgart, Luxembourg, Iceland), where she has participated for over 25 years as a team captain or as a member of the national/regional team.

Lady Chef Cornelia Ghișoi obtained in 2010 the certification that recognises her as an Accredited Judge of the World Association of Chefs Societies. Over time, judging, she discovers the "Arena Bucătarilor" Contest, one of the best opportunities to display the gastronomic knowledge of both junior and senior chefs.

Chef Bogdan embraced any challenge, because every experience helped him evolve. Later on he met a person who would support him unconditionally until now. We are talking about a chef from Brașov, who taught him everything he knows now and guided him in life. He managed to build an invincible base, which Chef Bogdan customized it, and a motivation that pushed him to become the best.

Chef Bogdan Cozma decided that the adventure of his life could be even more exciting. Experiences never stop, so for 14 months he cooked in various locations in England!

The experience at D.O.R., the restaurant from Bran, followed after his return from England, working for 2 and a half years as Head Chef, where he managed to perform and surprise with innovation and delicious dishes. In 2020, he participated in the Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, where he won, together with his team, the bronze medal, the 3rd place at "Restaurant of Nations" test, and the 4th place in the "Chef's Table" test. Getting closer to his dream, he embraces the concept of "Chef Travel - Private Chef", where he traveled throughout Romania, and beyond. Experience helps him overcome new challenges and try new ingredients.

Private chef travel is the way to express his feelings about cooking. Over your request he can create a special menu with an unique identity.

Workplace: Head chef at the Presidency of the Senate

Pascal Grière has been head chef at the Senate Presidency for 25 years, and is responsible for the President's private table. He has won the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France, one of the most prestigious and demanding competitions, recognised by professionals and the general public alike. Pascal Grière takes part, as president or member of the jury, in numerous competitions, including Les Chefs en Or in France. He has also helped and coached many candidates prepare for competitions such as the Bocuse d'Or and Meilleur Ouvrier de France.

With a degree in catering from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Serge Voloscenko has held a variety of positions in the hotel trade, traditional catering, themed catering and collective catering. This gave him the opportunity to travel beyond France's borders, discovering cuisine in Geneva, London, Monaco, Berlin and San Francisco.

Originally from the Rhône Alpes region of France, he began his Transgourmet adventure in 2007 as a catering salesman at the Transgourmet Méditerranée facility in the south of France.

In 2015, he joined Transgourmet's Ile de France sites and has been working as a culinary consultant since May 2022.

As product expert for the Ile de France region, he organizes and leads culinary events, and sources local ranges. A real enthusiast for "eating well" and naturally curious and open to others, he enjoys passing on his advice, experience and product knowledge, whether to the sales force or to customers.

Workplace: Self-employed ("Chef Project")

Tobia Ciarulli has decades of experience as a chef, trainer and teacher at various gastronomy academies, e.g. in Los Angeles, Melbourne, Edmonton and Berlin. Before his successful engagement as team manager of the Swiss national culinary teams (as of 2016), he was Executive Chef at Hotel Olden (Gstaad) for many years. Since 2003, he has regularly served on the jury of the most important cooking competitions, including IKA (Germany), Culinary World Cup (Luxembourg), Swiss Culinary Cup (Switzerland), European Finals World Culinary Challenge (Hungary) and also Les Chefs en Or (France). As a chef, he has also participated in various cooking competitions, including Prix Culinaire Pierre Taittinger (Italy), Festival International de la Gastronomie (France) and Swiss Final of Bocuse d'Or (Switzerland).

Achievements:
- 1st Swiss Culinary Junior National Team (World Cup, Luxembourg) and 1st Swiss Culinary National Team (World Cup, Luxembourg) in 2022
- 3rd Swiss Culinary Junior National Team (Olympics, Stuttgart) in 2020
- 2nd Swiss Culinary Junior National Team (World Cup, Luxembourg) in 2018
- 1st Swiss Culinary Junior National Team (Intergastra, Stuttgart) in 2017
- 2nd Swiss Culinary Junior National Team (Olympics, Erfurt) in 2016
- Team Manager Swiss Culinary National Teams from 2016 to 2022
- WACS Judge Seminar in 2016
- Executive Chef Hotel Olden, Gstaad from 1996 to 2015
- Teacher and different consulting at Academies of Gastronomy in USA, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Switzerland from 1982 to 1996
- Apprentice and Chef in Italy, Germany, Netherland, Switzerland from 1976 to 1981

Workplace: Teacher (Vocational School, Baden)

After his apprenticeship as a chef, Thomas Kuster worked in renowned establishments such as Baur au Lac and Wirtschaft Flühgasse (Gault & Millau, both Zurich). The certified chef and vocational school teacher has been teaching Switzerland's future chefs for over 10 years and is always involved in various gastronomy projects on the side. He has a great experience as a coach, but also as an active member of the Swiss national culinary teams.

Achievements:
- 1st Swiss Culinary Junior National Team (World Cup, Luxembourg) and 1st Swiss Culinary National Team (World Cup, Luxembourg) in 2022
- WACS A-Judge in 2018
- Culinary Advisor Swiss Culinary National Teams from 2018 to 2022
- Member Swiss Armed Force Culinary Team from 2014 to 2016
- Member Swiss Culinary National Team from 2013 to 2015
- Teacher (Vocational School, Baden) in 2012
- Member and team manager «Cercle des Chefs de Cuisine Zurich» form 2003 to 2012

Wetzel started his apprenticeship as a cook in 1993 at Cavelle Hotel in his hometown Bad Kreuznach. After finishing in 1993 he did community service in the emergency services (German Red Cross) in Mainz.

Only 19 years old, he was the youngest Executive Chief in his region at the Gourmet Restaurant of the former Flair Hotel Island Stuben in Bad Kreuznach.

He then worked for several fine dining restaurants. In 1996, he parallel started to develop his sporting career while playing American Football. He played for teams in higher class leagues in Germany, Belgium and France.

After 3 years at Michelin Germany, he joined ZDF (2nd Public Television) located at Mainzer Lerchenberg. Dominik cooked for directors, actors and staff from 2002 to 2007 on a fine dining level. He also started to shoot for the format "ZDF Fernsehgarten" and other formats in the background.

After finishing his football career and more than 6 years of working for ZDF, his most exclusive challenge as a cook came up. He accepted a job as a private cook for a German-Austrian princess. He lived in Switzerland as well as in Manhatten/New York at that time. In New York, he developed his skills at the New York Food School of Culinary Arts. Dominik cooked for Bruce Willis, Roger Moore, Jefrey Moore, Gunther Sachs, Oskar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, US Governors and several New York Times writers.

He moved back to Germany in 2009 and worked as a Food Manager at the Frankfurt Airport. His job was to develop different gastronomic concepts in cooperation with Fraport and Heinemann company and to place them on different shop spaces.

His next stop was Key Account Manager in a family-owned company which produces high quality and exclusive groceries for more than 5000 customers in 7 countries. He worked on product development and other gastronomic solutions in cooperation with other well-known cooks nationwide.

Various stations mark his career, f.e. working for Harald Wohlfahrt, Alfons Schuhbeck and other Michelin star awarded restaurants nation- and European wide.

He developed the food concept "Hausmann's" together with Tim Mälzer and others and supported the opening on 12th December 2012 at the Frankfurt Airport.

Since 2016, he is working on national sales as a National Executive Chief and brand ambassador for Transgourmet.

Since January 2013 until today - 10 years / 9 months
Innovation speaker / Head of food concepts for gastronomy and logistic customers.

Sander Gourmet GmbH
2 years/ 9 months April 2010 - December 2012
Product developer / Manager

Dr. Eckart Acadamy
6 months October 2009 - March 2010
Chef de Cuisine / Service specialist

2 Michelin stars awarded restaurant "Steinbeck"
10 months November 2008 - August 2009
Junior Sous Chef
2 years July 2006 - June 2008
Chef de Partie

3 Michelin stars awarded restaurant
"De Librije"
4 months July - October 2008
Chef de Partie