Two Polish Chefs Compete in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef AcademyRegional Final in Bucharest. Michał Wiśniewski and DanielWarszawski Present Their Own Interpretations of Polish Cuisine
Michał Wiśniewski and Daniel Warszawski represented Poland at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef AcademyRegional Final, held on 26–27 October 2026 in Bucharest. The prestigious competition for emergingculinary talents brought together 15 chefs representing nine countries from the South-Eastern Europe andMediterranean region.
Two Talents, Two Perspectives on Polish Cuisine
Daniel Warszawski, Deputy Head Chef at MUND at PURO Warszawa Stare Miasto, draws inspiration fromthe regional identity of his native Silesia. For the competition, his dish, “Silesian Sunday”, offered acontemporary interpretation of the traditional Sunday family table. Rabbit, wild mushrooms and traditionalsmoking techniques formed the basis of a composition in which regional heritage meets modern culinarycraftsmanship.
“I see reaching this stage as a fantastic opportunity to show that Polish cuisine can compete with the bestin the world on equal terms,” says Daniel Warszawski. His professional experience includes working atAtelier Amaro and H15 Boutique Hotel. He has also represented Poland twice at the Culinary Olympics.
In Michał Wiśniewski’s approach, product quality, seasonality and flavour take centre stage. As BanquetHead Chef at Grano Hotel Solmarina, he combines inspiration from regional cuisine with classical Frenchculinary techniques, treating technique as a tool to bring out the character of ingredients rather thanallowing it to dominate the dish.
“Often, the greatest potential lies right around us – in local ingredients, seasonal produce and flavours wehave known since childhood,” says Michał Wiśniewski. His culinary skills have been shaped by experienceacross various areas of the hospitality industry. One particularly important chapter was his time at Epokarestaurant, where he worked under Marcin Przybysz, developing an approach centred on high-qualityingredients, precision and attention to detail.
During their preparations for the regional final, both chefs were supported by mentors: Daniel Warszawskiworked with Kamil Mateńka, while Michał Wiśniewski received guidance from Jacek Majcherek.
From Bucharest to the Grand Finale
The prize at stake in the regional final was a place in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Grand Finale,scheduled to take place in Milan in 2027.
The winner of the Bucharest competition was Malta’s representative, Martina Bonello from RisetteRestaurant, who secured her place in the global final. Martina Bonello also received the special Fine DiningLovers Award.
Among the other award recipients were Greece’s representative, Asterios Karaiskos, who won the AcquaPanna Connection in Gastronomy Award, and Croatia’s representative, David Halilović, who received theS.Pellegrino for Social Responsibility Award in recognition of his sustainable approach to gastronomy.
S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Supports the Next Generation of Chefs
S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy is a global initiative dedicated to nurturing the next generation ofculinary talent through education, mentoring, knowledge exchange and an international competition. TheAcademy connects young chefs with leading figures in the world of gastronomy, bringing together acommunity of talent from more than 70 countries.
For more information, visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/
