“My expectation is to make Ecuador proud, showing the world the gastronomic richness of our country and the enormous potential of its ingredients, techniques and culinary traditions,” affirmed Dayanary Vergara, chosen to represent Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy 2026, at the 1st Americas Young Chef Award.
Dayanary Vergara is from Manabí and is in her seventh semester of Gastronomy at the Universidad Técnica de Manabí. It was her parents, with their perseverance and unconditional support, who inspired her to train as a cook.
She is passionate about innovation and about restoring value to Manabí’s products, especially ingredients that have fallen out of use. She researches them, rescues their flavours and uses them in full, with a responsible and sustainable approach to cooking. She works alongside foragers, small producers, artisanal fishers and young farmers from Manabí, and even created a special salt together with an association of salt producers in Las Gilces, Crucita.
For Dayanary, every dish is a work of art that tells a story. She dreams of opening a café with her sister and of becoming an inspiration for other women.
At the 2026 Americas Young Chef Award, Dayanary presented Raíces de Transmutación, a contemporary reinterpretation of the entomatado that follows the wild tomatillo’s journey from tender to ripe fruit. It shows that an undervalued fruit can reach haute cuisine without losing its connection to the land and to traditional knowledge. It is paired with prawns, peanuts, plantain and chillangua. The ingredients come from foragers, small farmers, artisanal fishers and young growers across Manabí. She also created a special salt with a salt producers’ association in Las Gilces, Crucita.
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.
