“I am not just bringing a dish to this competition. I am bringing a part of my childhood, my culture and my history,” affirms Jovan William, chosen to represent Martinique in the 1st Americas Young Chef Award.
At 18, Martinican chef Jovan William has already built a solid path. He graduated from the Professional Baccalaureate in Cooking at the Lycée Nord Caraïbe and is now studying for a BTS in Hotel Management at FERRANDI Paris. He has completed an internship in Belgium, taken part in several culinary competitions and, in 2026, received the Legion of Honour in Martinique.
His cooking draws on his Caribbean childhood: the sea, tropical fruits, spices and traditional techniques, which he gives a contemporary and personal expression. For Jovan, gastronomy is a way of telling a story without words, and each dish is a link between his island’s culinary heritage and his own memories.
His ambition is to bring together Caribbean identity, French technique and creativity, and one day to open a place of his own where he can share his vision of Caribbean cuisine.
At the Americas Young Chef Award 2026, Jovan presented As a Child, a tribute to his Caribbean childhood, where every element is a memory, an ingredient or a feeling. Red snapper, a symbol of island fishing life, is the star, topped with sweet potato scales. Tropical flavors of mango, passion fruit, coconut and cassava join it, along with a touch of burnt corn. Where his traditional dish represents Martinique’s culinary heritage, this innovation represents Jovan’s personal bond with it and how he imagines its future.
About IGCAT’s Young Chef Awards
The Young Chef Award is an international competition organised by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) that gathers young culinary talents from awarded and candidate Regions of Gastronomy annually, and hosted its first Americas edition in 2026 in Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy 2026. Selected each year through local contests, finalists of the Young Chef Awards compete by innovating traditional recipes from their regions using local ingredients.
IGCAT counts on the support of the official ambassador of the Americas competition, Manabitan-renowned chef Valentina Álvarez who truly endorses its principles. Valentina stated that “Gastronomy is a magical intersection that blends landscapes, people, culture, products, and heritage, from which a fabric is woven that builds an identity allowing us to call ourselves!”
The 1st edition of the Americas Young Chef Award is organised and promoted by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT) and hosted by Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy 2026 at Iche School-Restaurant-Lab, with the support of the Fuegos Foundation, Prefectura of Manabí and CAF.
About the World Regions of Gastronomy
World Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.
