Hong Kong, 7 November 2025 – Ardy Ferguson, the sous-chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant Belon in Hong Kong, has been crowned global champion in the sixth edition of the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition (SPYCA). His win not only marks a milestone for his personal journey but also reinforces Hong Kong’s emerging stature as a world-class culinary hub.
Ferguson’s journey is anything but conventional. Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, he moved to Canada to study electrical engineering at the University of British Columbia, only to switch paths after discovering a passion for baking. A chance posting at Belon led him to Hong Kong, where he committed fully to professional cooking.
“Cooking wasn’t always part of the plan… I was actually originally in engineering.” — Ardy Ferguson
His immersion in multi-cultural settings informs his creative cuisine: dishes that reflect Indonesian roots, Canadian training, and Hong Kong’s cosmopolitan culinary scene. He describes his cooking as “telling stories of my past, and future.”
Texture of the Culinary Narrative
- His menu features unexpected ingredient pairings and flavour bridges, such as an Indonesia-inspired spice blend married with Canadian-style technique and Hong Kong-style presentation.
- Ferguson credits his engineering background with giving him a “systematic approach to cooking”, precision, iteration, and function all play into his plate compositions.
- In winning the SPYCA title, he beat peers from 44 countries by presenting a multi-course set with strong personal narrative, regional sourcing, sustainability commitments and global relevance.
Significance for the Region and Industry
- His win bolsters the idea that Hong Kong is not merely a transit hub for chefs or diners, but a springboard for internationally-recognised culinary talent.
- In a broader sense, Ferguson’s multicultural identity is emblematic of the Asia-Pacific food industry’s evolution into a fusion space where local flavours meet global techniques.
- For investors and stakeholders in hospitality and F&B, his story underlines the value of platforms that support cross-cultural chef development, global competitions, and story-driven dining experiences.
What to Watch
- Ferguson’s next move: will he deep-dive into his own restaurant brand or stay within the Belon framework to leverage the title?
- The impact of the win on Belon’s trajectory, will it attract global attention, partnerships or expansion?
- How Ferguson’s cooking evolves: will his upcoming menus continue to prioritise heritage-driven narratives, or pivot toward more global audiences?
- The regional chef-talent pipeline: Hong Kong and the broader Asia-Pacific region may see increased visibility in international chef competitions, shifting the balance away from traditional Western strongholds.
