Singapore — Amid what both judging and competing chefs agreed was an amazing display of talent and creativity, Kirk Westaway’s celebration of earthy and uncommon ingredients in his signature dish, humbly dubbed the Forest Pigeon, came out tops to secure the 29-year-old sous chef for restaurant JAAN the right to represent the region in S.Pellegrino’s inaugural talent search for the world’s best chef under 30.

The challenge’s South-east Asia semi-finals where 10 shortlisted chefs went head to head in a cook-off featuring their signature dishes was held this afternoon (Feb 5) at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy.

Westaway admitted that while he was confident his dish was tasty and showcased enough of the required flair and panache, he felt that it was his presentation, finishing the plating of the dish on a wooden board at the judges’ table that could have made all the difference.

His dish also showcased “uncommon” ingredients, from a barley risotto to Chinese artichoke. He added that it featured “tried and tested methods” of cooking and is a dish he likes eating himself.

It showcased various techniques, from slow cooking the bird sous vide to slow roasting the leg for four hours and pairing it with a black truffle risotto made with barley, served with a puree and sauce made with the pigeon’s heart and liver.

Westaway will go up against 19 other finalists from across 19 other geographic regions in the grand finals, to be held during the Expo Milano 2015 in June. Each chef will be mentored by a celebrated culinary artist in this final phase, who will guide them on their quest to become the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015.

So will the young chef be tweaking his winning dish? “I have to check the rules but there’s always room for improvement ... even with a Michelin-starred dish,” he said.

That said, the grand winner will be determined by a jury of seven renowned international chefs who know a thing or two about raising the bar - from Gaston Acurio, Yannick Alleno and Massimo Bottura to Margot Janse, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Eric Ripert and Joan Roca.