Young Algarve pastry chefs prepare for national competition

Some of the Algarve’s promising young pastry chefs will be putting their skills to the test in Faro next week, hoping to take another step towards Portugal’s National Skills Championship.

By Kam Heskin, in News, Food & Drink · 08 Oct 2026, 19:33 · 0 Comments

Students from the School of Hospitality and Tourism of Vila Real de Santo António and the Portuguese-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s DUAL training centre will compete in a pastry-making challenge on 16 October.

The event will take place at Espaço Auchan Live Faro, inside Forum Algarve, as part of the first regional stage of WorldSkills Portugal Centro 2027.

For the competitors, it is a chance to show what they have learned during their training, but also to discover how well they can work under pressure.

Pastry-making requires considerably more than following a recipe. Precision, timing and the ability to stay organised are all essential, particularly when working against the clock.

According to Portugal’s Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the competition gives students an opportunity to put their classroom skills into practice while meeting the demands of a professional environment.

The Algarve event is part of a nationwide series of regional competitions taking place between 12 and 16 October.

A second regional stage will follow from 17 to 19 November, helping determine who will qualify for the national championship in Aveiro in 2027.

A chance to build a career

In a region where hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses employ thousands of people, training the next generation of hospitality professionals is particularly important.

The IEFP says the pastry competition is an opportunity to recognise both the students and the teachers who have helped prepare them.

It also gives vocational training centres a chance to demonstrate the quality of the practical skills being taught in the Algarve.

WorldSkills Portugal competitions cover a wide range of professions, encouraging young people to develop specialist abilities and giving vocational education greater visibility.

They also bring students, training providers and businesses together, creating opportunities for young people who are beginning their careers.

For the Algarve’s young pastry chefs, the first challenge is on 16 October in Faro.

And while the competition is about demonstrating technical skills, it may also provide a valuable first taste of the pressure and excitement that come with working in a professional kitchen.