Students from Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) have achieved national recognition at the Knorr Professional Student Chef of the Year 2026 competition, held at the Moylish campus.
Organised by Unilever Food Solutions Ireland, the annual competition celebrates excellence, creativity and innovation among Ireland’s emerging culinary talent.
Athlone student Lesslie Angeles Terrazas Miguel secured overall bronze medal in the national final, while Lucas Maier, representing the Moylish campus, received the competition’s Hygiene Award, recognising the highest standards of professionalism, kitchen organisation and food safety during the live cook-off.
This year’s theme, Borderless Cuisine, celebrated how modern chefs blend ingredients, techniques and traditions from around the world to create dishes that are both innovative and rooted in culture. Competitors were challenged to produce two dishes inspired by their background, travels or the diverse communities around them.
Originally from Bolivia and now living in Athlone, Lesslie brings a global perspective to her cooking, combining traditional Bolivian ingredients such as mote and aji panca with Irish produce including kale and carrot.
The team from the Athlone campus: Bronze Medal winner Lesslie Angeles Terrazas Miguel, her assistant Oisin O’Flanagan, with John Killeen and Shane Sheedy, lecturers in Culinary Arts.
She was assisted in the national final by Oisin O’Flanagan, from Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, who balances his studies in Athlone with professional experience at Lyrath Estate, where he was recently promoted to Demi Chef.
Lesslie is no stranger to national competition. She was named winner of the Knorr Professional Student Chef of the Year Assistant Skills Test Award in 2025, when the competition final was hosted on the Athlone campus, recognising her technical precision, organisation and performance under pressure.
John Killeen and Shane Sheedy, lecturers in Culinary Arts at TUS, prepared Lesslie and Oisin for the competition.
John Killeen said:
“Hosting the final in Athlone last year was a real honour for the campus. The competition provides culinary students with an opportunity to compete with their peers nationally while building friendships and connections across the industry. Lesslie and Oisin showed real commitment and creativity throughout their preparation and securing an overall bronze medal is a fantastic achievement.”
Representing the Moylish campus, Lucas Maier, who is originally from Romania and now living in Clareview, Limerick City, impressed judges with his professionalism in the kitchen and received the competition’s Hygiene Award.
Lucas – who works in the kitchen at Dromoland Castle – presented a main course featuring pork tenderloin inspired by his Romanian heritage, paired with Irish ingredients and techniques influenced by his European travels.Lecturers Eithne Gavigan and Jim O’Meara with Lucas Maier and his assistant Lucia Canalda, prepping for the competition.
For dessert, he reinterpreted two Romanian classics: Papanasi, a traditional cottage cheese doughnut served with sweetened sour cream and fruit jam, and Gomboti, delicate plum-filled dumplings made from soft potato dough.
Lucas was assisted by Lucia Canalda, from the St John’s Castle area of Limerick, who works at the Flying Cheese shop at the Milk Market.
The students were supported by Jim O’Meara and Eithne Gavigan, lecturers in Culinary Arts at TUS.
Jim O’Meara said:
“This success reflects the standard our students can reach when they combine creativity, discipline and a real willingness to learn. Winning the Hygiene Award is a significant achievement and reflects the professionalism and high standards Lucas brings to the kitchen.
“He fully embraced the Borderless Cuisine theme, bringing his Romanian heritage together with excellent Irish produce. He was ably assisted by Lucia, and we are very proud of how they represented both Limerick and TUS on a national stage.”
Following the live cook-off at the Moylish campus, finalists were judged by leading professionals from Ireland’s hospitality sector.
Audrey Crone, Executive Chef Ireland with Unilever Food Solutions and one of the judges at the competition, said:
“Student Chef of the Year is about championing the next generation of chefs and we were delighted to see their creativity come to life. The calibre of talent across TUS campuses continues to impress year after year.”
The competition winner receives an exclusive culinary experience, industry recognition and invaluable exposure within Ireland’s hospi
