Michy Batshuayi scored a hat-trick as Chelsea provided a glimpse of the future with a 5-1 EFL Cup rout of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night.
Kenedy and the impressive Charly Musonda were also on target and Tendayi Darikwa scored a late consolation for Forest as the Premier League champions advanced to the fourth round with ease.
Ethan Ampadu became the first Chelsea player born this millennium, a week after his 17th birthday, on a night when Eden Hazard delighted on his first start of the season after his broken ankle.
Simon Johnson was at Stamford Bridge to assess the key talking points...
Musonda looks the real deal
Five years after joining the club, Charly Musonda finally made his first start for Chelsea tonight and it was definitely worth the wait.
The 20-year-old has been the subject of a lot of hype and expectation, not just in Chelsea's Academy but among many leading scouts across Europe.
He was given a taste of first team football at Chelsea as a substitute in the Community Shield and in the opening league game against Burnley this term, but this felt like the game where he genuinely arrived.
There were lots of confident flicks and tricks from the start, betraying the confidence this Belgium Under-21 international has. Musonda capped his display with a fine goal and celebration to match.
Of course this was only the League Cup against a mediocre Championship side in Nottingham Forest, but it was very encouraging nevertheless.
A tough return for Mancienne
Chelsea have had many promising youngsters come through the Academy over the years and a decade ago it was Mancienne's name on everyone's lips.
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Mancienne was being talked about as a silky defender, who also had the ability to play as a defensive midfielder. Like many before and since, he had to go elsewhere in order to get regular first-team football.
Now Mancienne is 29 and captain at Nottingham Forest, so his career has developed well, but it was a chastening experience as he struggled to contain his former club at Stamford Bridge. Not for the first time in his life, the standard at Chelsea proved too much for him.
Kenedy makes the most of his fortunate reprieve
If Conte had got his way this summer, Kenedy wouldn't be part of his squad and would be on loan elsewhere at the very least.
Kenedy was sent home from the club's pre-season tour two months ago in disgrace after posting offensive messages on social media about China while they were in Beijing. Conte didn't particularly rate him highly either, as was shown by giving the Brazilian just two appearances.
If Chelsea had signed another left wing back as Conte had instructed, then Kenedy wouldn't be involved at the club this term. But no deals were forthcoming and Conte had no choice but to include him in his plans.
Kenedy has at least until January to make a more positive impression and after an uncertain start to this game, the 21-year-old settled and opened the scoring with a fine finish.
Marcos Alonso will still clearly play the majority of the games and the Carabao Cup maybe as good as it will get for Kenedy, but it's more than he could have hoped for in July.
Hazard is ready to start at Stoke
It is the sight Chelsea fans have been waiting for - Hazard back in the starting XI and he didn't disappoint.
Conte has been determined to not rush the Belgium international's recovery from a fractured ankle, sustained back in June.
He has come off the bench for the last three matches and shown a flicker or two of what he's capable of.
Clearly Hazard will get better the more minutes he gets and this comfortable victory over Nottingham Forest was exactly what he needed.
There were some trademark dribbles and fancy skills on show, as well as a sublime assist for Michy Batshuayi's second goal of the night.
Chelsea look a different side when Hazard is in it and Conte will surely trust him to play against Stoke from the start on Saturday.
A night to enjoy for the Academy
Musonda was not the only youth product to shine as Jake Clarke-Salter, Dujon Sterling and new recruit Ethan Ampadu all got to shine from the bench in the second half.
It's been a dream few months for Ampadu, who joined from Exeter City in July and was named in the Wales squad for their World Cup qualifiers last month.
The 17-year-old was the first of the trio to come on, some show of faith from the Chelsea coach who has been impressed with him in training.
Ampadu can play as a left back, left of central defence and in midfield, and here he played in front of the back three.
One crunching tackle on Daniel Fox showed he wasn't afraid of the bigger, more experienced opponents in front of him. A neat pass over the top in the area showed confidence on the ball too.
Clarke-Salter didn't have much to do playing on the left side of central defence, but looked assured. It was a fitting reward for a member of England's Under-20 World Cup winning team.
Dujon Sterling, a back-to-back winner of the FA Youth Cup with Chelsea, is highly rated as a right wing back and didnt hesitate to push forward against Nottingham Forest's beleaguered defence