Adrian Buttigieg, 21-year-old Maltese chef de partie at the Hotel Phoenicia, won the bronze medal at the World Association of Chefs Society Congress 2008 held in Dubai competing for the Hans Bueschkens Trophy. More than 1,000 entries were received and Mr Buttigieg was the only Maltese chef participating in this event. Aged 21 years, he was vying for the Best Young Cook in the World.

The culinary competition aims to inspire young chefs to strive for continuous improvement and to encourage them in perfecting their culinary arts. A panel of 17 international judges, approved and appointed by the World Association of Cooks Societies, evaluated the performance of the chefs and awarded the medals during the event. The Hans Bueschkens Trophy competition is focused on perfecting culinary arts skills rather than competing against others.

The competition consisted of a practical cookery test called a mystery box challenge, and entailed compiling a three-course meal menu and preparing a meal for six with given ingredients.

Adrian was declared winner of the Junior Chef of the Year 2007 in the Malta Kulinarja Cookery and Culinary Arts Championships late last year. Adrian worked for a year in a five-star hotel in Luxembourg – Le Royal. He also attended a sugar work workshop given in Malta by world-renowned master Elena Shramko.