Abby Cadman’s journey in the food and beverage industry started when she became the founder and CEO of her events and catering business Feste Group, the parent company of catering firms Relish and Gingers, five years ago. Her business partner Tegan Waters has more than 15 years of experience in the dining industry, having previously worked in events and marketing forMadame Fu Grand Café Chinois in Tai Kwun and at Pomegranate Kitchen in Wong Chuk Hang. Together, they are bringing the prestigious global Young Chef Young Waiter and Young Mixologist (YYY) competition to Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand this year.
Following some of the toughest years for the industry, the decision to bring YYY to Hong Kong was fuelled by a desire to rejuvenate the local hospitality scene. The YYY competition was established in 1979 in the UK to promote hospitality as a career of choice and the duo hopes to keep this legacy going. Cadman explains, “The struggles we went through over the past few years and the deflated sentiment among our industry peers made us feel like we needed to do something about it. We couldn’t keep blaming the economic environment; we had to act on what we could control and make our own magic happen.”
Abby Cadman (Photo: Somsak Saree)
Waters agrees: “The hospitality industry in Hong Kong is filled with so many talented and passionate people who have just not had the opportunity to shine yet. We are here to change that narrative.”
What sets YYY apart from other culinary competitions is its comprehensive approach, celebrating not just chefs and mixologists but also the often-overlooked service staff. “Most hospitality competitions around the world champion the chef and the food, and more recently, mixologists and their cocktails,” says Waters. “The service element is often overlooked, yet this is arguably the most important part of a guest’s experience in a restaurant or at an event.”
Cadman highlights the opportunity this competition offers to young talents: “The competition is open to those aged 28 and under, which provides a unique opportunity to the contestants. They often don’t have as many years of experience but they have the ability to challenge themselves and get creative. With YYY, they have the opportunity to rub shoulders with and show off their skills to their industry heroes, becoming part of a global community that can open so many doors for them,” she says.
Tegan Waters (Photo: Somsak Saree)
YYY has been a career- defining competition for many talents over its 45-year history, with winners including the likes of chef Marcus Wareing and Simon King, who won Best Young Waiter in 2000 and then went on to become Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant manager at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London.
King later opened The Savoy Grill with Wareing in 2003. Meanwhile industry stalwarts such as Theo Randall, Heston Blumenthal and Raymond Blanc have all served on the competition’s judging panel.
The choice of Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore as host cities was strategic, and influenced by close ties and a shared passion for the culinary arts. “The Singapore licence holders, Allana Laws and Denise Matthijsse, did the competition a year before us, and are friends of ours,” says Waters. “They had one competition under their belt before we brought YYY to Hong Kong and we learnt a lot from them leading up to our first competition in 2023.”
Cadman adds: “Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong have such an illustrious food scene; it made a lot of sense for these to be our focus.”
The pair are determined to attract contestants who are eager to push their limits and showcase their personalities. “While each regional competition operates under the world YYY structure, we have the unique opportunity to shape each one to highlight the essence of each place, culture and cuisine,” says Waters.
The duo’s vision extends beyond the competition itself, aiming to engage local food communities and culinary scenes. Cadman says: “We’ve got some of the world’s most renowned bars and bartenders right here in our city. Six of Asia’s 50 Best are here—it would be foolish not to get them involved.”
Abby Cadman (Photo: Somsak Saree)
The YYY semi-finals will kick off in Hong Kong on September 26 with mixology heats across bars in Central, bringing the community together and championing the young talents taking part. “The public can get involved and watch our semi-finalists compete for a spot at the Hong Kong finals in October,” says Cadman.
The Hong Kong finals will take place over two days on October 10 and 11 at the International Culinary Institute in Pok Fu Lam, while Singapore and Thailand will each host their own finals that month too, before the grand finale in Singapore in November. Waters adds, “It’s not just about the finalists and winners of the competitions—it’s about creating a movement in each city.”
Cadman and Waters have ambitious goals for expanding the competition in Asia. “We want YYY to be a household name in hospitality and part of an initiation process for young talent,” says Waters. As the competition approaches, they are most excited about how this will impact the community, with Cadman saying, “We can’t wait to see all the wonderful creations the contestants will produce this year and are particularly excited for the new mixology [component].”
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