Chef Luckson Mare from The Living Room at Summerhill Guest Estate in Durban has been named winner of the S Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Regional Final for the Africa, Middle East & South Asia region. Mare secured his place at the grand finale in Milan in 2025 after a two-day cook-off at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town.
Mare impressed the regional jury – Roaya Saleh (Bahrain), Bertus Basson (South Africa) and Akmal Anuar (United Arab Emirates) – with his signature dish: duck, sweet potato and matungulu (Natal plum).
Speaking about his dish, Mare said: “My culinary journey began in my mother’s kitchen where sweet potatoes were a staple. I’ve paired this humble ingredient with duck, representing…