- Ana Nechita from Ireland won the Aramark International Chefs’ Cup 2026.
- She became the first female chef to win the competition.
- The final took place over three days in Dublin.
- Her dishes featured mushroom and goats cheese ravioli and poached halibut.
- Sebastian Bünning received silver and Nathan Booth received bronze.
Ana Nechita has won the Aramark International Chefs’ Cup 2026 and made competition history. The Irish chef became the first woman to claim the title after a three day final in Dublin judged by leading culinary figures. She represented Aramark Healthcare at Brabazon House Nursing Home in Sandymount.
Ana delivered winning dishes that included mushroom and goats cheese ravioli poached halibut with scallop and dill mousse and Irish set cream dessert with strawberry basil and balsamic. Sebastian Bünning from Germany took silver while Nathan Booth from England received bronze. The event brought chefs from Europe Asia North America and Latin America to Ireland.
Ana also received the Technical Award for precision and execution. Judges included Ross Lewis and Derry Clarke. The competition tested flavour technique presentation creativity sustainability and performance under pressure.
Ana Nechita shared “Winning the International Chefs Cup is an incredible honour particularly against such talented chefs from around the world.”
Tom Neville shared “Our warmest congratulations to Ana Nechita on being named winner of the Aramark International Chefs Cup 2026 and to every finalist who came to Dublin and cooked with such skill discipline and imagination.”
