Azerbaijani chef Emil Zeynalzada has become the winner of the 9th International Young Chef Olympiad, Azernews reports.

Zeynalzada was awarded a gold trophy and a cash prize of $5,000.

The 9th International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO 2023) brought together culinary students from 53 countries in the Indian city of Kolkata.

The project is a joint initiative of the International Hospitality Council, UK, and the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM).

In addition to the three winning countries, the top 10 finalists included England, France, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and the USA.

Patiphon Lertsurakitti (Thailand) won a silver medal, while Naureen Shaikh (India) grabbed the bronze medal.