Nicolle Jiménez wins third place at Americas Young Chef 2026

Costa Rican chef Nicolle Jiménez Jiménez secured third place at the Americas Young Chef 2026 international competition held in Ecuador from October 8 to October 12. Representing the southern canton of Coto Brus, Jiménez utilized techniques and flavors from Costa Rican Caribbean gastronomy to compete against rising talents from seven nations, including the United States, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Martinique, and the Bahamas.

The competition highlights a growing global interest in Central American and Afro-Caribbean culinary profiles. Legal experts noted that such high-profile international platforms require emerging professionals to manage image rights, sponsorship contracts, and intellectual property related to innovative recipes to build sustainable global careers.