Southern Hemisphere

Jessica PRÉALPATO Présidente du concours

Hôtel San Régis Paris, R&D Fauchon, Paris, France

Jessica Préalpato is currently considered the most influential pâtissière chef in the world. In June 2019, she was awarded the best pastry chef by the 50 Best, the Oscar of gastronomy.

Carlton Tower Jumeirah, London, 39V, Plaza Athénée, Groupe Alain Ducasse, Paris… As head pastry chef, alongside chef Romain Meder, she embodies Desseralité, an echo of Naturalité, which breaks away from the classics of pastry-making to focus on the essence of each product. Today, she works at the Hotel San Régis in Paris and engages in private projects where she remains faithful to the concept of “desseralité“,  a blend of dessert and naturalité, avoiding the use of refined sugars and using only the best ingredients without tricks or deceptions.

@jessicaprealpato

Pierre GAGNAIRE

PIERRE GAGNAIRE, Paris, France

Pierre Gagnaire, a free-spirited and enigmatic personality behind his eponymous restaurant, has shaped the culinary scene with his avant-garde and experimental approach to traditional French gastronomy. Heralded for weaving emotion, taste, and technique into harmonious creations of unparalleled complexity, his groundbreaking marriage of art and science continues to captivate both diners and aspiring chefs alike.

His restaurants boast 13 Michelin stars to date in Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, London & Dubaï.

@pierregagnaire

Eugénie BÉZIAT

Restaurant ESPADON, Ritz Paris

the chef skilfully blends reminiscences of her African childhood with Mediterranean influences acquired over her culinary career. An innovative approach playful with an uncompromising respect for ingredients.

@eugenie.beziat

@espadonritzparis

Marcelo SCOFANO

ESTILO GOURMET, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Marcelo SCOFANO is a Chef and an oleologist, founder of the movement ESTILO GOURMET to celebrate the best olive oils. Carioca (from Rio de Janeiro), olive oil researcher and consultant, Marcelo is an international training Chef working on olive oils pairings. His life is dedicated to the sensory experience and good vibes.

@marceloscofano

Dina NIKOLAOU

EVI EVANE, Paris, France

TV chef, Cook book author, Chef at EVI EVANE Paris & Ambassador of Hellenic gastronomy in France.

dina.nikolaou

evi.evane

Christophe LAVELLE, PhD

CNRS, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATIONAL HISTORY, Paris, France

Christophe Lavelle is a biophysicist, researcher at the CNRS (the French center for scientific research) and co-founder of the Food 2.0 LAB. Passionate about food and the relationship between art and science, he teaches in many institutions such as the universities of Paris VI, Paris VII, Cergy-Pontoise, Aix-Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, SupBioTech Paris and Le Cordon Bleu Paris, FERRANDI Paris…

@christophelavelle

Maxime LECONTE

DOMAINE DU MAS DE PIERRE, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France

Drawing on his travels and culinary passion, Chef Maxime Leconte offers menus that fuse the flavours of the world and Provence at La Table de Pierre, the gourmet restaurant on the Domaine du Mas de Pierre.

“As a result of my many trips around the world… to Latin America, South Africa and Asia, I have been able to discover and immerse myself in the traditional and authentic techniques of local chefs, and over the years I have created my Culinary Signature…”

@maxime.leconte_

@tabledepierre

Agatha RELOTA LUCZO

FURTUNA SKIN, Founder and CEO – Olive Oil Sommelier, Paris, France

Mother of four, international model, entrepreneur & olive oil sommelier.

@agatharelotaluczo

Gabriel LEPOUSEZ

Neurobiologist, specialist in sensory perception and brain plasticity, Paris, France

French neuroscientist and international expert of brain circuits involved in sensory perception, memory integration, emotions and brain-body communication.

In addition of his research activities, Lepousez shares his extensive knowledge of how the brain works during wine and food tasting to professionals and amateurs, with contribution to french and international academic courses, conferences, wine education programs and wine/food magazines.

He is a member of the tasting committee of La Revue du Vin de France, member of the Académie du Vin de France and Académie Amorim.

Jérôme POULY

Actor, Director, Art Director

After performing a classical repertoire at the Comédie Française, where he became the 510th member, Jérôme POULY founded the theater company ” Avec Coeur & Panache “.  An ode to gastronomy through the great texts of French literature and “M de Molière”, a patchwork of sketches based on the great themes of Molière’s works.

Avec Coeur & Panache

Léo PAJON

Le Monde, Paris, France

Food critic and journalist for Le Monde’s Styles service since 2018, Léo Pajon is interested in everything that can tantalise the taste buds, from kaviar to kebab. He is the author of several articles on olive oil and its blossoming in France since the Cretan diet fad.

@leo.pajon

Cécile LE GALLIARD

Olive oil expert and buyer – founder of jusdolive.fr Toulouse, France

Cécile le Galliard is an olive oil expert and web journalist specializing in olive oil. Her work takes her all over the world to meet olive oil producers and take part of olive oil competitions. She shares her passion on jusdolive.fr: a goldmine of information for both amateurs and professionals, which has quickly become a benchmark in the field.

jusdolive.fr

Philippe COHEN SOLAL

¡Ya Basta! Records. Composer, producer, DJ, Paris, France

Philippe Cohen Solal is the co-founder of Gotan Project. He is composer, producer, music supervisor… And Olive Oil lover. In 2021, has turned a tasting session of olive oil into an artistic project by creating of the first Olio Nuovo Days playlist.

¡Ya Basta! Records

Julia SEDEFDJIAN

BAIETA, Paris, France

France’s youngest Michelin-starred chef in 2016, Julia Sedefdjian is continuing her meteoric rise with her first gourmet restaurant, Baieta. Originally from Nice, Julia apprenticed with chef David Faure (L’Aphrodite). At the age of 16, she won the regional final of the Best Apprentices of France competition. A year later, she arrived in Paris at the restaurant Les Fables de la Fontaine and quickly climbed the ranks from commis to Head Chef at the age of 20. Since 2018, with Baieta, Julia offers a meticulous Mediterranean cuisine that echoes her roots.
In 2019, she was awarded 1 Michelin star for her restaurant.

In 2024, she was awarded the Chevalier medal in the Ordre National du Mérite by Guillaume Gomez.

@juliasedefdjian

@baieta_restaurant

Eugenio ANFUSO

AMÂLIA, Paris, France

Eugénio Anfuso started his cooking career in Italy, Negrini e Pisani**, Igles Corelli* before he moved to France (2018) to become chef de partie at Pierre Gagnaire’s Gaya*, then Pascal Barbot’s Astrance** and Bernard Pacaud’s Ambroisie*** .

In 2024, after “graduating from Michelin Star icons”, he launched Amâlia, a gourmet restaurant with his partner Cecilia, pastry chef, in the heart of Paris.

AMÂLIA

Eugenio ANFUSO

Fil BUCCHINO,

ABANDONED GROVE, Founder & professional olive oil taster Toronto

Canada & Firenze, Italy Florence-born and Toronto-based Fil Bucchino is an extra virgin olive oil expert with over two decades dedicated to promoting its significance in culinary excellence, environmental sustainability, and health benefits. He founded Abandoned Grove to produce limited extra virgin olive oil from rescued groves, raising awareness of their importance to landscape, heritage, and community well-being. His work extends to hosting “Obsessed with Olive Oil,” collaborating with global institutions like Yale University and PBS, and earning accolades like ‘Olive Oil Personality of the Year’ and the ‘Pentola d’Oro Award.’ Fil is a professional olive oil taster recognized in prestigious directories and associations

Vincent FERNIOT

Food Lover & critic, Paris, France

Vincent Ferniot is a food journalist who has been talking about what he loves for over 30 years on television and radio: good food, regional specialities, chefs, farmers and food artisans. He divides his media time between his programmes “Manger C’est Voter” (Public Sénat), “Ferniot Fait le Marché” (Sud Radio) and his Instagram account @vferniot, where he posts his filmed recipes to a large community.

Vincent Ferniot hosts a number of competitions, including the famous Bocuse d’Or,) Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, La Meilleure Brigade de France and the latest edition of Le Meilleur Sommelier du Monde.

He is also the inventor of Carré de Café®, the 1st chocolate-free coffee bar developed with his friend the chocolatier Pralus, and the founder of Boco, star chefs’ recipes sold in jars.

@vferniot

Olivier CRESP

DSM-FIRMENICH Paris

Revered in Grasse, the town his family has called home since the seventeenth century, Master Perfumer Olivier Cresp is a genuine icon of French perfumery.

His great grandfather cultivated roses and jasmine and his father and grandfather traded raw materials.

A food lover and of everything that can be carefully created, delicately crafted and timeless just like his perfumery.

Named Master Perfumer in 2006 and Perfumer of the Year in 2007, he is a mentor to young talents.

Olivier Cresp is the author of

ANGEL (Thierry MUGLER) – LIGHT BLUE (Dolce GABBANA) – BLACK XS (Paco RABANNE) – NINA (Nina RICCI) – VERSACE MAN EAU FRAICHE – L’EAU par KENZO Homme & Femme – DUNE pour Homme (DIOR) – BLACK OPIUM (YSL) – ROSE DE GRASSE (Aerin LAUDER) – JUNIPER SLING (PENHALIGON’S) – MON PARIS (YSL) – LEGEND SPIRIT (Mont Blanc) – CH Carolina HERRERA Féminin – Valentina (Valentino) and many more….

Alessandra MONTAGNE

NOSSO, TEMPERO, Paris, France

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Alessandra Montagne was raised by her grandparents in small village in a self-sufficient environment, where she learned the rudiments of cooking. This experience led to her vocation, cooking. In Paris, she worked in the kitchens of William Ledeuil, Adeline Grattard and the pastry shops of Benoît Castel. She owns today 2 establishments in Paris’s 13th arrondissement, Nosso, where she express herself in French gastronomy with touches of her native Brazil, “Tempero”, a grocery store-eating cellar, for locavore with over 100 short-circuit producers.

Since 2021 she designs the menu for the “Dana” restaurant in the Kwerk coworking space. The chef has created a menu that draws its inspiration from her roots to create a conscious and generous cuisine inspired by the Mediterranean and seasonal cuisine, limiting waste and making extensive use of the local products.

@alessandramontagne

@nosso.paris

tempero.paris

Fil BUCCHINO

ABANDONED GROVE, Founder & professional olive oil taster Toronto, Canada & Firenze, Italy

Florence-born and Toronto-based Fil Bucchino is an extra virgin olive oil expert with over two decades dedicated to promoting its significance in culinary excellence, environmental sustainability, and health benefits. He founded Abandoned Grove to produce limited extra virgin olive oil from rescued groves, raising awareness of their importance to landscape, heritage, and community well-being. His work extends to hosting “Obsessed with Olive Oil,” collaborating with global institutions like Yale University and PBS, and earning accolades like ‘Olive Oil Personality of the Year’ and the ‘Pentola d’Oro Award.’ Fil is a professional olive oil taster recognized in prestigious directories and associations.

Yasmine SEGHIRATE

CIHEAM, Administrator, Paris, France

Undergraduate Institut d’Etudes Politiques d’Aix en Provence, Political sociology Arab and Muslim world

Women and Youth Empowerment, Communications · Policy and Communications Manager at CIHEAM

Alexis KERNER

Environmental scientist and Expert Olive Oil Taster, Sevilla, Spain

Alexis Kerner is a professional olive oil taster with a strong background in the environment. She not only holds her Title as Expert Olive Oil Taster from the University of Jaén, but also has a degree from Connecticut College in Environmental Science. Alexis has worked for over 14 years in the public sector serving both the Spanish and United States governments. Although she has many years of experience as an inspector, she recognizes her passion prior to olive oil was compost. Her interest in organic matter began in the late 90s during the School for Sustainable Development in Costa Rica project that taught women composting. This project planted an important seed that later translated to her work as Compost Manager at the Staten Island Botanical Garden in NYC and then to various European LIFE and FEDER programmes for the Andalusian government. Called at worst a tree hugger, Alexis maintains her belief that we have more to gain and learn from working with soils to produce high quality extra virgin olive oil while reversing our degraded Earth systems.

Pascal TANCHOUX

Communication and marketing Consultant, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Pascal is a communication and marketing professional. He has worked in Switzerland and internationally in many business sectors, such as engineering, the pharmaceutical industry, and the food industry. He has notably supported the development of ethical labels for coffee and chocolate brands.