Indonesian-Canadian chef wins regional S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition with his nasi tumpeng

This year’s regional S.Pellegrino Young Chefs Academy Award cooking competition was held at Hong Kong’s International Culinary Institute (ICI) at Pok Fu Lam, a heritage site that was a former dairy farm over a century ago.
On Monday (Oct 28), 10 talented chefs under 30 from Maldives, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea were given five hours to cook and 15 minutes to present their dishes to the jury of seven acclaimed chefs in the region.
The winners were announced the same evening at The Murray Hotel with all the chef contestants mingling over new friendships and comradery formed in the last 48 hours.
Indonesian-Canadian chef Ardy Ferguson, 29, from Hong Kong’s Belon restaurant clinched the winning spot, beating nine other young chefs and impressed the jury with his nasi tumpeng dish – a celebratory traditional Javanese cone-shaped rice dish served with vegetables and meat, in this case grilled Hong Kong duck.
In its sixth edition of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Awards, several Singapore chefs had previously won since its inception and went on to represent the region in Milan.
This year, Singapore was represented by Law Jia-Jun of Province and Labyrinth junior sous chef William Yee, who won one of the three collateral prizes – the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award – for his pigeon dish inspired by his childhood flavours of Malaysian street food.
The global initiative aims to discover and mentor the most talented young chefs under 30 worldwide. The jury is guided by the three golden rules: strong technical skills, creativity and a compelling narrative on food and identity. The highest score is then awarded to the winner.
In preparation of the grand finals in Milan in 2025, Ferguson will be mentored by former global jury Hong Kong chef Vicky Lau.
A nod to his Indonesian roots, the electrical engineering student had a later start in his culinary career.
“I grew up in Jakarta and my mother cooked every single day and I didn’t appreciate it until I moved away from home for university in Canada. Nasi tumpeng is a celebratory dish for large family gatherings, and this competition for me is a celebration of young talent and all the chefs coming together. The poultry here in Hong Kong is unlike any other and I wanted to respect and represent the culture where I have been living for the past three years, while still making a tribute to the culture I grew up in.”
Under the guidance of his chef mentor, Mathew Kirkley, Ferguson reckoned his winning edge was serving hot food. He used a metal bowl and kept it in the steamer at 85 degrees Celsius, removing the bowl just before the dish was served. The judges were duly impressed that the rice was still piping hot at the presentation.
 “My sauce was a sate padang base. I roasted the duck bones, but I also used cinnamon, chillis, nutmeg, coriander, and fresh coconut milk – Indonesia is a spice island. I wanted to pack it all in. I used all the pulp to make the sauce which gave it an intense underlying tone of coconut.”
Roast meats are a hallmark of Hong Kong’s culinary scene and Ferguson adapted the technique to cook his duck – first scalding it, then lacquering it in red wine vinegar to give it a beautiful colour before smoking the fowl with sugar cane – the result is a delicious sweet and smoky roast paired with the rich blend of Southeast Asian spices and flavours over piping hot rice.
Kevin Wong of Seroja, a former global finalist at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Awards and guest chef at the event shared: “The scene has really evolved since I participated as a young chef. We’ve grown as a community and many chefs have given their insights and feedback to our Singaporean candidates. Less is more to create impact, when there’s too much going on, you lose focus on the main purpose of the dish. Food has to be eaten, the tastebud has to be wowed before it pleases the eye.”
Hong Kong Chef Vicky Cheng on the jury echoed Wong: “Creativity is important, identity is important but without deliciousness, none of this matters. That’s what I’m looking for in a plate. It has to taste good.”
Asia has a diverse culinary representation with complex rich flavours. Historically the region is rich in agriculture, and the climate’s bounty of tropical produce is unique in this part of the world, whilst also being surrounded by the ocean where seafood dishes feature often on menus. The region’s culinary history and heritage (through wars and colonialism) spans centuries lying on important trade routes, where spices and different ingredients were traded and introduced into local cuisines.
Meanwhile, Chef LG Han, a mentor to Yee, was thrilled to see the new generation of young chefs evolving through these experiences, “At the end of the day, these competitions are for our chefs’ personal growth – how to be better, to gain confidence and practice, learn about their shortcomings. They are making new connections, expanding their network, and making friends around Asia. I’m so happy to see that. I am really proud of William, he’s worked so hard, and he’s done so well. The five hours pass quickly as you have to do everything from scratch.”
Jury chef Tam of Baan Tepa Culinary Space in Bangkok added: “Time management is an important aspect in this competition. Things can go wrong during this competition, and you really must focus on the things that matter.”
Juries Johanne Siy of Lolla in Singapore and Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room in Hong Kong were also pleased to see more women representation in the culinary profession in this new generation. Media and cooking shows have helped to a huge extent and having other women role models. “Women are great at adapting to situations, pivoting, multi-tasking, which are all important skills in running a professional kitchen,” shares Siy, who runs Lolla.
Another collateral prize, The S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award, was awarded to chef Simone Scarparo for his dish using a beeswax cooking method to cook his fish, combining Thai and Italian flavours.
Meanwhile, Aswin Kumar Karanat Subramanian from Maldives was awarded the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award for his crab dish from Kerala, inspired by the historic spice route. Moving beyond traditional curries, his crab dish combines his grandmother’s traditional flavours with a modern sustainable twist inspired by his travels in the region, with a nod to Kerala’s ingredients and cultural heritage.