“Being part of the Americas Young Chef Award means much more to me than a competition. It is an opportunity to show my talent, learn from other young chefs and take the name of Honduras to new places,” affirms Diego Chévez, chosen to represent Honduras in the 1st Americas Young Chef Award.
Born in Tegucigalpa, Diego Chevez is in his final year of Gastronomy at UNITEC. He runs his own pastry business and has worked in catering and in different areas of the kitchen, experiences that have given him versatility and craft.
As a child he dreamed of becoming an oil painter, and today he blends art and gastronomy in creations inspired by his Honduran roots, Lenca culture and family memories. He enjoys experimenting with ingredients and presentation, and sees cooking as a form of expression.
Diego aspires to run his own business and describes himself as someone who is always learning, never settles and is always looking to go one step further.
At the 2026 Americas Young Chef Award, Diego presented Arroz del Sol, a tribute to Lenca culture and to the cuisine Central America shares. Its base is a creamy “rice” of lacto-fermented yellow corn with allspice. It comes with three free-range hen farces, one for each ingredient of the Central American sofrito: tomato, onion and sweet pepper. It is finished with nixtamalized squash infused with chamomile and panela, a nod to the traditional ayote en miel, and with nixtamalized corn tortillas topped with hen- skin salt and flamboyant-flower powder.
Awarded 2nd Prize in the competition, Arroz del Sol delighted the jury with its delicious flavours, beautifully executed presentation and surprising combinations. The flavour profile of the traditional dish remained clearly recognisable, including the potato element, while the carefully judged smoking brought an unexpected and enjoyable dimension. The overall balance made this a particularly strong interpretation of tradition.
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.
