Canadian chef named 'Best Young Cook in the World'

At the Hans Bueschkens World Junior Chefs' Challenge during the 34th annual World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Congress Jan. 24 to 28 in Chile, a young chef from Canada won first place and the title of Best Young Cook in the World. New Zealand took home third place and Malaysia placed second in the competition.

Representing the United States in the competition that brought together 14 of the top young cooks in the world was 22-year-old Kansas native Kelly Conwell (pictured, left), who did not place in the top three. Conwell, supported by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and Custom Culinary Inc., earned the right to represent the U.S. in the global challenge after winning the title of 2009 ACF Student Chef of the Year in Orlando, in July 2009. Conwell graduated from Johnson County Community College (JCCC), Overland Park, Kan., in May 2009, and has spent the past six months studying abroad in Germany.

The awards were presented at the Congress President's Dinner on Jan. 28.