return on the 2025 european sushi championship
The place
The 2025 European Sushi Championship was held in Porto, in the sumptuous setting of Quinta do Jordão, in Vila Nova de Gaia. Nestled in the heart of a lush estate, this exceptional venue provided a prestigious backdrop for this latest edition.
the candidates
Pierre Maël Belaifa
CRISTIAN MALAI CLAUDIU
Oleh Mainich
Vameng Lyfoung
cristina elena muñoz fernández
kordian jan gordewski
Krishna Bahadur Basnet
VLAD TANASIE
Dmytro Hanus
Raju Bohora
the jury
yuko perez
A native of Tokyo, Yuko Perez Onodera learnt traditional Japanese cuisine from her uncle, a renowned sushi master. Having taught throughout France for several years, she has chaired the judging panels at the French and European Sushi Championships since 2024, ensuring that the ancestral art of sushi is upheld.
SUDA TAKESHI
Takeshi Suda, the washoku chef at the Okimizuki restaurant, nestled in the heart of the Kamo Aquarium in Tsuruoka, is a renowned master of fugu preparation. As a culinary ambassador for his city, which has been designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, he passes on his expertise to chefs from around the world.
WAGNER SPADACIO
Born in Brazil into a large Japanese community, Wagner Spadacio is the 2017 French Sushi Champion and the 2018 World Runner-up. As executive chef at The Niwaki restaurant in Monaco, he has been drawing on his extensive experience as a competitor to serve on the judging panel for several editions.
HIDEKI MATSUHISA
Born in Toyota, Japan, in 1972 and trained from childhood by his father, a sushi master, Hideki Matsuhisa now runs the Koy Shunka restaurant in Barcelona, the only Japanese restaurant in Spain to hold a Michelin star. A leading figure in Japanese gastronomy in Europe, he regularly chairs the judging panels of prestigious competitions.
JEREMI SEGUDA
Head chef and founder of the Yumidori restaurant in Chamonix, Jérémi Seguda has established himself as a leading figure in the French sushi scene: a three-time French runner-up, he went on to become world runner-up in Tokyo in 2024. As a member of the French national sushi team, he combines technical precision with creativity, a combination praised even by his international peers.
jefferson silva
Known as ‘Chef Tom’, Brazilian chef Jefferson Elias Ribeiro Da Silva heads up the kitchens at Masary’s restaurant in Mons, Belgium. A multiple award-winner at the European Sushi Championship, he was crowned World Sushi Champion in Tokyo in 2024, the culmination of a career characterised by technical precision and creativity.
JORGE DIONICIO
A chef of Peruvian origin who trained at the World Sushi Skills Institute in Japan, Jorge Dionicio has been awarded a black belt in sushi and made a name for himself at the World Sushi Cup in Tokyo. Now a chef-owner in New York, he skilfully blends Edomae tradition with his Peruvian heritage.
IULIAN CONSTANTIN
Co-founder of the Zen Sushi chain and the first Romanian to be appointed ‘Goodwill Ambassador for the Promotion of Japanese Gastronomy’ by Japan, Iulian Constantin has been working for over twenty years to promote the art of sushi in his country. As organiser of the Romania Sushi Cup, he shares his expertise with the next generation of chefs.
the podium
クリスティナ・ソンブレイ
1st place at the European Sushi Championships 2025
cristian malai claudiu
2nd place at the European Sushi Championships 2025
Vlad Tanasie
3rd place European Sushi Championship 2025
the team
ALICE TOUCHAIS
Managing Director of Sushi Robots
Suda-Sensei
Advisor and Chef of the Okimizuki restaurant Tsuruoka city
Florine Banéat
Event Coordinator
European Sushi Championship & French Sushi Championship
WAGNER SPADACIO
Executive Sushi Chef at THE NIWAKI restaurant