When is Aljotta Not Simply Aljotta ?
When Going the Extra Mile is Good News
May 17, 2025When it is the award-winning signature dish prepared by chef Andrea Amore. Jo Cremona discovers the journey that led to the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award.
It took chef Andrea Amore a year and a half to perfect the signature dish which earned him the Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award at the South-East Europe and Mediterranean Regional Finals of the S. Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024- 2025.
Held every two years, this initiative seeks to discover the most promising young talent from around the world. Chefs aged 18 to30 are invited to submit their dishes for evaluation under three criteria: innovation, technique and personal connection.
Thousands apply, but only a few are selected to compete, among them Andrea, who, at age 30, had this one last chance to represent Malta in this competition and showcase the country’s culinary tradition
The dish he chose to compete with was the Aljotta (Maltese fish soup), a beloved go-to dish for Maltese home cooks that uses the whole fish, from head to tail. Now, the interesting thing about this choice is that, as a boy, Andrea absolutely hated fish.
He could not stand its smell, its texture and its taste and he hated being around people fishing. This changed at age seven, on a family boat trip.
As he watched his dad turn a fishing trip into a food fest, making an impromptu aljotta with the fish he had caught, creating impromptu fish dishes and even frying up the prawns he had been using for bait, he realised that he had to overcome his aversion to fish if he wanted to make it as a professional chef. He had realised at a very young age that that is what he wanted to do in life.
Growing up, he was happiest in the kitchen, cooking with his grandfather. The culinary arts ran in his blood from his Italian dad’s side too, as his grandmother is known for her foraging and cooking skills.
So, with sheer determination, he overcame this obstacle to his dream of becoming a chef, started his training at the Institute of Tourism Studies and, by age 15, was already competing and honing the technical skills he needed to excel in the kitchen.
Andrew Borg (left) - Executive Chef Le GV with Andrea Amore during the competition.
The aljotta dish that Andrea made and presented to the
judges at the regional finals was inspired by this pivotal
moment in his life and his determination to succeed.
The plate comprised different elements, including the traditional Maltese aljotta made with rice; a refined, innovative version that showcased the chef’s creativity; and, a crispy prawn that paid homage to the prawns his dad had decided to cook instead of using as bait that day.
The food was served on specially chosen china plates that were a pure smooth white on the inside and rugged on the outside, recalling the Maltese shoreline as seen from a boat.
The finesse of the dish, the story it told and the culinary skill with which it was created impressed the expert judges and won Andrea much-deserved recognition for his passion and dedication to gastronomy. So, what’s next for this talented chef? He is definitely not one to rest on his laurels.
He is eager to continue learning and refining his craft, through further training and mentorship by renowned chefs, more exposure to different experiences and, if possible, continuing to enter competitions that raise the bar.
Eventually, he would like to run his own kitchen. He believes that good food should be accessible to all. His dream is to open a restaurant that is subtly refined and serves food that we would all cook at home, if we had the skills. We can’t wait!
The plate comprised different elements, including the traditional Maltese aljotta made with rice; a refined, innovative version that showcased the chef’s creativity; and, a crispy prawn that paid homage to the prawns his dad had decided to cook instead of using as bait that day.
The food was served on specially chosen china plates that were a pure smooth white on the inside and rugged on the outside, recalling the Maltese shoreline as seen from a boat.
The finesse of the dish, the story it told and the culinary skill with which it was created impressed the expert judges and won Andrea much-deserved recognition for his passion and dedication to gastronomy. So, what’s next for this talented chef? He is definitely not one to rest on his laurels.
He is eager to continue learning and refining his craft, through further training and mentorship by renowned chefs, more exposure to different experiences and, if possible, continuing to enter competitions that raise the bar.
Eventually, he would like to run his own kitchen. He believes that good food should be accessible to all. His dream is to open a restaurant that is subtly refined and serves food that we would all cook at home, if we had the skills. We can’t wait!
