Euro-toques Ireland celebrates 40 years of championing Irish food
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.
Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2026
Jack Rice 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 Rising Pastry Chef of the Year 2026
Euro-Toques Ireland also announced Aengus Moloney 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.
Anniversary Theme: Community at the Table
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.
