Get ready for the ultimate culinary highlight at the AA Hospitality Awards this September. The annual event will see Mark Birchall hand over the reins of the industry-famed AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year Award, sponsored by Caterer.com.

This much sought-after accolade, first introduced in 1996, gives all AA Rosette-awarded chefs the power to decide who truly deserves the ultimate recognition for their outstanding performance over the past year. Voted for by their peers, the unique award is a popular and coveted title.

Shortlist

This year’s shortlist features culinary luminaries from across the country, including Monica Galetti of Mere, Paul Ainsworth of Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Clare Smyth of Core by Clare Smyth alongside eight other worthy Chefs.

Ceremony

The awards will take place at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London on Monday 25 September, and will bring together over 1,000 esteemed guests from the UK’s hospitality landscape. The evening’s meticulously crafted menu will be curated by none other than Chef Patron of Moor Hall, Aughton (5 AA Rosettes) and the winner of the 2022 Chefs’ Chef award, Mark Birchall.

Commenting on the award, Mark Birchall said:

“It has been an absolute honour to hold this esteemed title for the past year. However, the time has come for me to pass the baton. This year’s remarkable shortlist showcases chefs responsible for some of the finest gastronomy to come out of the UK.”
“As we eagerly await the winner’s announcement on 25 September, I for one will be on the edge of my seat with anticipation! To all the talented chefs, I wish you the best of luck. Your exceptional talent has truly raised the bar in our industry.”

Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media, added:

“Amid the joyous atmosphere of the AA Hospitality Awards, the Chefs’ Chef award is perhaps one of our most coveted, capturing hearts and palates alike. It stands apart from the rest of our awards as our inspectors pass over the power to the chefs themselves. Let us raise our glasses in celebration of these exceptional chefs who are truly trailblazers in their industry.”

2023 Chefs’ Chef nominees

Representing every corner of the UK, from the heart of Scotland to the wild Welsh Mountains, the 2023 Chefs’ Chef nominees bring together the best of the UK’s culinary landscape. The full shortlist can be found below:

 Angela Hartnett, Murano
 Clare Smyth, Core by Clare Smyth
 Galton Blackiston, Morston Hall
 Gareth Ward, Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms
 Hélène Darroze, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
 Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Northcote
 Michael Wignall, The Angel at Hetton
 Monica Galetti, Mere
 Paul Ainsworth, Paul Ainsworth at No. 6
 Tommy Banks, Roots York
 Tom Kitchin, The Kitchin

The AA Hospitality Awards would also like to thank Caterer.com for sponsoring the AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year Award.
To buy tickets for this year’s AA Hospitality Awards, visit our website.

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The virtual awards included categories to showcase businesses and individuals who have gone above and beyond, demonstrating the ability to quickly adapt and implement new, successful initiatives to support their employees, communities, key workers and the NHS during the pandemic.

Hosted by British comedian and television presenter, Paul Sinha, the event featured appearances from some of the industry’s biggest names, including Paul Ainsworth, Andi Oliver, Michel Roux Jr and Clare Smyth and was watched by almost 450 industry professionals, media and supporters of Springboard. 

With hundreds of entries, over 40 businesses made the shortlist, with the winners recognised for everything from employee health & wellbeing and staff communication, to the best dine at home experience and most innovative alcohol strategy.

Springboard CEO, Chris Gamm, says: “Despite being faced with such adversary in 2020, the hospitality industry went above and beyond and deserves to be celebrated. All the winners have undertaken amazing work, achieving incredible results, despite the circumstances the sector has been faced with. Springboard are thrilled to be recognising them”.

The event also saw the launch of Springboard’s new fundraising initiative – ‘Virtual Race to Nicaragua’. A trek to Nicaragua was set to take place in Central America itself in March 2020, to raise vital funds for Springboard, but the trip was postponed due to COVID-19.

Marketing and Event Partner, Amy-Jane Cahalane says: “The Virtual Race to Nicaragua will take place wherever you are in the UK and your miles will be tracked online, contributing to your team’s progress. We’re giving everybody the opportunity to get involved, get fit, have fun and raise money for Springboard!” 

Teams of 30 people will be encouraged to cover a mere 5,300 miles throughout May 2021, the challenge is sure to excite walkers, runners and cyclists from the hospitality industry and beyond. Find out more about the virtual race to Nicaragua, here www.springboard.uk.net/virtual-race

The Winners

Best Implementation of Virtual Training

Interstate Hotels and Resorts

Best Staff Communication

The Dorchester Collection & 45 Park Lane

Employee Health & Wellbeing

Dishoom

Best Use of Digital Media to Promote Sales or Service

Holiday Inn Barrow in Furness

Best Delivered “Dine at Home” Experience

Made in Oldstead

Best National Support for Vulnerable People

Now Pause

Best Group Community Engagement

The Dorchester

Best Internal Covid-19 Training Programme

D&D London

Best Management Preparation

PPHE Hotel Group

Best Employer

Royal Lancaster London

Best Use of Technology to Improve Customer Experience

Delaware North

Most Innovative Alcohol Strategy

Essex Spirits Company Ltd.

Best National Support for Key Workers

Medirest

Best Individual Community Engagement

Jeni Edwards (Ijess consulting)

Best Corporate Social Responsibility  

Brakes

Business Innovation

Harri

Chris Beaumont Award

Diego Masciaga

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Over 40 businesses have made the shortlist in 17 categories – recognising everything from employee health & wellbeing and staff communication, to the best dine at home experience and most innovative alcohol strategy.

New for 2021, the awards also include categories to showcase businesses and employees who have gone above and beyond, demonstrating the ability to quickly adapt and implement new, successful initiatives in order to support their employees, communities and NHS during the pandemic.

Springboard CEO, Chris Gamm, says: “We’ve received a record number of entries despite the pandemic, demonstrating that our hospitality industry has gone above and beyond in 2020 to support their communities and employees, adapt their business models and succeed despite the odds.

“We’ve got a fitting ceremony planned to celebrate the shortlist and reveal the winners. As well as announcing who takes the top spot in each category, we’ll have a number of celebrity guest appearances throughout the night including Andi Oliver, Michele Roux Jr and Clare Smyth.”

The awards, hosted by British comedian and television presenter, Paul Sinha, best known as one of the six Chasers on the ITV game show The Chase, is sponsored by Harri, will take place from 6:30-7:30pm on 18 March. They’re free to attend and open to all. Sign in from 6pm to network online with other guests. Register here: https://springboard.uk.net/awards/

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Watched by hundreds of the biggest names in hospitality, as part of Hospitality Week, the event saw the streaming of the final which took place at Le Cordon Bleu earlier this month. Viewers saw emotion, passion, blood, sweat and tears from the ten finalists who have shown such resilience and determination in the face of hospitality’s toughest era.  

Nick served up a starter of Gilthead ‘gazpacho’ Heirloom tomato & cucumber, a main course of Romney Marsh lamb, roe ravigote, fennel, samphire and aster and for dessert Sweet Eve strawberry split, clotted cream, lemon and mint. His dishes truly stood out to Chair of judges, Paul Ainsworth who was supported by Clare Smyth, Claude Bosi, Graham Hornigold and former winners, Frederick Forster, Russell Bateman and Kuba Winkowski in making this important decision.

Derek Johnstone, head chef at Borthwick Castle finished in second, achieving a top three position for the third year running, with April-Lily Partridge taking third place. April-Lily has made history by being the highest female finisher in almost 50 years.  

Chair of judges, Paul Ainsworth said: “It is a real honour to be chair of judges and crown Nick Smith as the winner. When I took on this role, I could never have imagined chefs would be facing the extreme challenges this pandemic has brought. It’s hit our industry hard, but the fact these chefs put themselves forward to compete, despite such uncertainty in their professional and personal lives, is so inspiring. I loved the second stage where chefs had to sum themselves up in a few bites as this gave us an insight into the chefs’ characters too. Winning NCOTY is about more than cooking delicious food, it’s about being an ambassador for your industry and supporting others. We need winners like Nick to show the world what an amazing industry hospitality is, to encourage others to want to be chefs and to incentivise people to work hard to achieve their own personal dreams. Nick’s attention to detail when cooking and the passion he has shown throughout this competition has been incredible. You could see how much this title means to him and he is a really deserving winner.”

David Mulcahy added: “There was never any doubt that National Chef of the Year would go ahead this year; we just needed to work out how we could make it happen with so many restrictions. Hospitality has been on a real rollercoaster over the last few months, we have been catapulted through food shortages and businesses closing and we’ve seen families affected. None of us knew where we were going to end up. But through all of this we still have to battle on and keep going. We took the competition as our responsibility to help those chefs who needed a focus, a distraction and something to fill their time when life felt empty. When everything else was taken out of chefs’ control, NCOTY has given them something to think about and work towards. It’s been an awful but very special year for the competition and Nick is a remarkable winner. He’s remained incredibly positive, focused on his family and done what he needed to do to help him get through this. We are delighted to welcome Nick to that long list of winners and have no doubt he’s going to thrive as the National Chef of the Year in 2021.”

Knorr® Professional is the headline partner of National Chef of the Year and Alex Hall, Executive Chef UK & Ireland, said: “Knorr® Professional is a proud and long standing sponsor of National Chef of the Year and, under the most unique of circumstances this year, it’s once again been fantastic to be involved in the UK’s most prestigious cooking competition. This year’s competition criteria shone a spotlight on something we’re hugely passionate about as a business: the need for greater biodiversity in cooking. We are championing this with the Future 50 Foods – a Knorr initiative in partnership with the WWF. The finalists all had to incorporate at least one of the 50 most sustainable ingredients into their menus and we saw brilliant variety and creativity in doing so from all the competitors. By cooking with more sustainable ingredients, these chefs are leading the way in influencing how future generations of chefs cook, for a better food future.”

As the winner of National Chef of the Year, Nick not only takes the title and winners medal but he also wins the opportunity to create his own digital recipe book or a have a media training session with opportunities to raise his profile up to the value of £7,500 working with Knorr® Professional and Unilever Food Solutions. Continental Chef Supplies (CCS) and Valrhona have collaborated to offer a stunning prize trip. Along with the top two contestants from last year’s National Chef of the Year competition, Nick will be taken away in 2021, this trip will involve exquisite food in one of the world’s top restaurants, stunning scenery and a chance to delve deeper into the history of our industry than ever before. Nick will also receive an exclusively designed winners plate framed together with his winner’s medal and £500 worth of Churchill products and a bespoke knife courtesy of Savernake Knives.

For 2020 a new award has been announced which is the Best Pastry Award sponsored by Valrhona. This was chosen by Paul Ainsworth, Graham Hornigold and Kuba Winkowski and awarded to Nick Smith for his Sweet Eve strawberry split, clotted cream, lemon and mint.

NCOTY is run in partnership with Knorr® Professional and is supported by Les Vergers Boiron, CCS, Churchill, Direct Seafood, Evolve Recruitment, HIT Training, OpenTable, Santa Maria, UNOX, Valrhona, Winterhalter and WearerTech. It was hosted at Le Cordon Bleu London and featured as part of Hospitality Week.

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The ten chefs making the final are:

• Derek Johnstone, head chef, Borthwick Castle, East Lothian
• Fraser Bruce, head chef, Fraser Bruce @ The Fish Shed, St Ives
• Nathan Cornwell, head chef, The Barn at Moor Hall, Ormskirk
• Sarah-Jasmina Moussabih, head chef, Finnish Embassy, London
• Marcin Pomierny, head chef, The Maids Head Hotel Limited, Norwich
• April Lily Partridge, chef, The Ledbury, London
• Nick Smith, head chef, Vacherin / Ashurst, London
• Dominic South, head chef, Corinthia Hotel, London
• Ben Drake, senior sous chef, The Elephant by Simon Hulstone, Torquay
• Thomas Swaby, senior sous chef, Roux At Parliament Square, London

With the semi-final cook-offs unable to take place this year, the finalists were selected by taking into consideration the marks from both the entry stage and the dishes which summed them up in just two to three bites. Both rounds of the competition were judged by a separate panel of judges to make sure the rigorous judging process which NCOTY is famous for remained throughout 2020. With guidance and advice from some of the most respected chefs in the industry, the final decision on who went through was made by Chair of Judges Paul Ainsworth and organiser of the competition, David Mulcahy.

To take the title next month, chefs will have to impress Paul Ainsworth, chef patron at Paul Ainsworth Collection, Clare Smyth MBE, chef patron at Core by Clare Smyth, Niall Keating, executive chef at Whatley Manor and Claude Bosi from Bibendum Restaurant in Chelsea.

Despite restrictions, the industry will still be able to watch the cream of chef talent battle it out for this career-changing title. The actual cook-off takes place on the 7^th September at Le Cordon Bleu but the format for the final has been reinvented with the streaming of an hour-long show during Hospitality Week that offers insights into how chefs have navigated this challenging year.

Organiser of the competition, David Mulcahy, said: “There is no doubt that finding a way to make sure the National Chef of the Year competition could still go ahead has been challenging. But as organisers, we have always remained determined to ensure the competition’s heritage could be maintained and that the industry had a positive success story to come out of this. Chefs have faced some real battles along the way, even to put an entry in, but we have seen huge resilience, determination and passion from these chefs to turn adversity into positivity. Whilst we have had to tweak how the final is run, many things remain the same. We have ten brilliant chefs cooking for the best judges in the industry and what a special winner they are going to find. I really hope that on the 30^th September, chefs in kitchens across the UK tune in to support the competitors and watch the final and the live announcement. There has never been a more important time for the industry to come together in this way and show everyone how much talent our culinary scene has to offer.”

Chair of judges, Paul Ainsworth added “My decision to ask the chefs to create a dish that summed them up in just a few simple bites was to help me learn more about the chefs and their style of cooking. I wanted to see great plates of food that showed skill, creativity and innovation but also each chef’s passion and determination to take the top spot. This additional round gave us so much insight and inspiration to help us find that all important top ten. We also considered the scores they received in the first round as ultimately it is those three dishes that we will be tasting in the final. I’m confident we have an amazing line-up of finalists from some incredible establishments and businesses. I can’t wait to taste the dishes in a few weeks’ time as ultimately that’s what this competition is all about.”

Make sure you are supporting the chefs in the final by joining the Craft Guild of Chefs for the live streaming  at 1pm on Wednesday 30^th September followed by the big reveal of the winner at 2.30pm. Look out for updates on www.nationalchefoftheyear.co.uk and the Craft Guild of Chefs social media channels.

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Consumers are citing ‘provenance’ as one of their top reasons for choosing where to eat out, and the march is being led by the likes of Michelin pioneers Simon Rogan, Clare Smyth and Heston Blumenthal.

Political uncertainty and mental health issues have left the nation feeling frazzled and reaching our for “food hugs”. We’re craving comfort food which takes us to our happy place and evokes childhood memories. Here, several patriotic chefs share their national treasures…

SCOTT SMITH chef and co-owner of Fhior Restaurant, Edinburgh

SCOTT SMITH chef and co-owner of Fhior Restaurant, Edinburgh All of Scotland’s fantastic shellfish for me are this country’s national treasures, but one which stands out as a king of our coasts is the langoustine. The creel caught langoustines are highly regarded, so much so that they are in high demand around the world for both restaurants and markets. Although they are also trawled, this method produced a quality way inferior, as well as the other environmental damage that may be caused. This once humble crustacean has now become a luxury and is used in so many elaborate ways in restaurant dishes, but for me the best way to enjoy these are roasted simply in a pan of butter, garlic and parsley.

BEN HUGHES founder of Ben Hughes pop up and sous chef at the Goodsshed Restaurant, Canterbury

 British and Irish food is now amongst the best produce and cuisine in the world. Importantly, so is seasonal food. As people search for comfort food they increasingly search for seasonal British food. I mean what’s more comforting than an apple crumble on a cold night, but it doesn’t quite have the same affect on a midsummer’s day. This time of year my favourite ingredient is rhubarb, perfect in Kent, lightly poached, served with pork for a main course or as part of a dessert. A lovely combination. The balance rhubarb has between sweet and acidic is perfect on a spring evening. Rhubarb is also perfect as part of a fresh salad with some pickled fish. The poaching liquid can be reduced and used as a cordial, so no waste as well!

TRISTAN DOWNES head chef at Craft London

 Since I was a child treacle tart has always been my favourite dessert. My Nan used to make it for me and the history of the dessert goes back to the 1900s and it’s easy to see why as the ingredients are so accessible – treacle, breadcrumbs, pastry – as much as people try to push it to new heights. To me it is a dessert that deserves not to be tampered with. In my eyes you should stay true to the original, although my recipe includes some thyme, which really amplifies the flavours, and I finish it with a lovely cardamom ice cream. For the full recipe, visit www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/recipes

JIM MULHOLLAND co-owner and head chef at No 14 at the Georgian House in Comber, County Down

JIM MULHOLLAND co-owner and head chef at No 14 at the Georgian House in Comber, County Down
Smoked eel is a traditional Irish dish dating back thousands of years. Ours is fished from the nearby Lough Neagh. A lot of people wrongly imagine that eel will be slimy on the plate but, in reality, it flakes like smoked cod when it’s cooked in tin foil. The fishermen who catch it simply wrap it in tinfoil and barbecue it. Or you can smoke it. We use it in a dish with Lough Neagh Pollan (a freshwater white fish which is only found in five Irish lakes), served with white radish, smoked eel foam, sea purslane and rock samphire. Smoked eel is also delicious in a traditional pâté. Simply whip it up with some horseradish and crème fraiche and serve with soda bread. www.no14georgianhouse.com

ANDREW MCLEISH chef patron of Chapter One Restaurant, Kent

ANDREW MCLEISH chef patron of Chapter One Restaurant, Kent For many years I have been an advocate of British food. Especially during the winter months with the plentiful game and winter comfort food available. In more recent years I have discovered some fantastic Irish products. From Irish grass-fed beef to the amazing wild native oysters from the crystal clear waters, I believe there is also plenty more to discover. This year I would expect to see more locally grown and nurtured produce from our farmers who are already doing an amazing job. We should all be looking to source more locally produced products and support our suppliers and farmers.

NEIL COOPER head chef of The Grosvenor, Stockbridge

NEIL COOPER head chef of The Grosvenor, Stockbridge My favourite classic British meal is the Beef Wellington. A juicy seared fillet of beef wrapped in chicken liver pate and mushroom duxelles then parma ham and puff pastry. Cook it to 48°C and leave to rest on the side for 10 minutes. The fillet will continue to slowly cook in its pastry shell to a perfect medium rare… after 10 minutes’ rest, slice away and wow your customers with your masterpiece. The origins of this British favourite are unknown as there are no records of a recipe for the dish in the 19th century. One theory of its origins is that we simply stole it from the French classical recipe filet de bœuf en croute and added some British flair. Wherever this best of British delight originated from and whom can claim its glory is neither here nor there as long as it keeps the juices flowing at family dinner tables and on our restaurant and pub menus forever more.

SARAH LESSER-MOOR brand manager for Lion sauces at AAK Foodservice

SARAH LESSER-MOOR brand manager for Lion sauces at AAK Foodservice At a time when global cuisine is all around us, a celebration of British food will call to mind traditional dishes that evoke warm memories. Our new products with improved recipes have been created to combine nostalgia with today’s emphasis on health and cleaner labels. Try creamy Prawn Cocktail Dressing with mixed seafood; or Tartare Sauce with fried whole whitebait or deep-fried calamari, to create modern, internationally-influenced takes on the classics. Blue Cheese Dressing will bring to life individual flans with locally grown broccoli; while Cider, Honey & Mustard Dressing adds a sweet punch to Lincolnshire sausages with mashed Yorkshire potatoes.

GORDON STOTT chef patron of The Purefoy Arms, Hampshire

GORDON STOTT chef patron of The Purefoy Arms, Hampshire Being in a popular shooting area we source all of our game straight from the local shoots rather than using a butcher. It’s well known that pheasant can be quite a dry meat and is hard to cook and get it right. I think the best way to get the best flavour is to not just cook the breast but to turn the breast into a ballotine. This involves stuffing with sausage meat and black pudding and wrapping in bacon. This will protect the meat from going dry. For Gordon’s full recipe for pheasant ballotine, visit www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/recipes

TOM SIMMONS owner and head chef at Tom Simmons, Tower Bridge

TOM SIMMONS owner and head chef at Tom Simmons, Tower Bridge Coming from Pembrokeshire in West Wales, provenance plays a big part in how I curate the dishes for the restaurant. Getting to know producers, suppliers and farmers from across Wales means the best possible produce ends up on the plate. Anglesey’s Halen Môn sea salt, Caerphilly and Perl Las Cheese, Carmarthenshire’s Coal Town Coffee, Pembrokeshire chicken, and of course our incredible beef and lamb, are all used on our menus, helping to bring the amazing flavours of Wales to London. One of my favourite dishes from the restaurant is our take on a Welsh lamb cawl, which is a refined version of the traditional Welsh stew. We brine the lamb shoulder for 12 hours and then slow cook it overnight, so it falls apart. It’s served with a small teapot of lamb consommé and some seasonal baby vegetables. We finish the dish with mint oil and some sorrel. I love this dish as it has all the elements of the hearty lamb cawl, just elevated.

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Now in its 26^th year, the Craft Guild of Chefs once again took to the stage to celebrate culinary excellence. Seventeen awards were presented on the night, all of which recognised and acknowledged the remarkable talent across the UK and beyond. Previous winners include household names such as Alain Ducasse, Pierre Koffmann, Angela Hartnett, and Clare Smyth.

Andrew Green, Craft Guild of Chefs chief executive welcomed all guests by saying: “These awards are the highlight of the Craft Guild calendar, where we all have the opportunity to recognise chefs from all sectors of our industry, whether they be apprentices who have made an impact in the early stages of their career, to the more seasoned professionals that maybe haven’t had the recognition they deserve.”

He added: “It’s also important we recognise the great work so many of the Guild members do. They give up their own time to travel around the country organising competitions year after year, which adds value to a chef’s ambitions and experience and generally raises our culinary profile as a whole.”

The dazzling evening ceremony was hosted by English chef and television personality James Tanner, and the awards were presented by Craft Guild of Chefs vice presidents Steve Munkley and David Mulcahy.

The first award of the night honoured Miller & Carter with the brand-new Chef’s Favourite Branded Group award. Voted for by Craft Guild of Chefs members and other professional chefs, the significant new award recognises restaurant groups demonstrating food quality and consistency, and a menu with variety and originality, accompanied by a suitable wine menu.

This year’s judging panel consisted of established chefs and professionals across the foodservice industry. These included Steve Munkley from Royal Garden Hotel, Consultant Pastry Chef Sarah Hartnett, Adam Smith from the Dorchester Collection and Craft Guild of Chefs vice president Nick Vadis from Compass Group UK & Ireland.

Following the Chef’s Favourite Branded Group award, 16 additional awards were presented to including the prestigious Craft Guild of Chefs Special Award. This year the Special Award honoured Michael Caines MBE for his outstanding contribution to the industry. Chef patron of Lympstone Manor in Exmouth, Caines is one of Britain’s most-established chefs. He has appeared on television programmes such as BBC 1’s Saturday Kitchen, MasterChef, Sunday Brunch, Great British Menu, My Kitchen Rules and The Great British Bake-off: An Extra Slice. The holder of two Michelin stars for 18 consecutive years, he was awarded a Michelin star for Lympstone Manor just six months after opening. In addition to his cuisine, he was also recognised for his contribution to the community, which is outstanding. His creation of the Michael Caines Academy at Exeter College was hailed as an excellent path to encourage and nurture the future generation of talented restaurateurs, chefs and waiters.

Michael Caines (pictured above) said: “I’m extremely proud. It’s most unexpected. It’s lovely to be recognised in this way by the Craft Guild of Chefs. In a room full of chefs celebrating the achievements of others, to receive this award in front of all the other award winners is an extremely proud moment in my career. I’m very honoured to receive it.”

He added: “The Craft Guild of Chefs does incredible work. What I do contributes and feeds into the wonderful work they are doing. The Guild represents the future of the industry, in terms of making sure people recognise it as a profession that’s full of talent. If we don’t promote or celebrate the achievements of those within the industry, we won’t have a voice and be overlooked. I think it’s important people recognise the contribution that hospitality makes, and the artistic value chefs bring to our industry as a destination experience for people that come and enjoy food. Chefs are centred to that and need to be recognised. And we are doing that, as we do every year.”

The Restaurant Chef Award was awarded to Pascal Canevet of La Maison Bleue in Suffolk, who was rewarded for his French modern cuisine and locally sourced approach.

He said: “This means a lot because it is nominated by other chefs. I’ve never done any competitions because I didn’t think I would be good enough, so this is absolutely amazing. And especially with the runner up’s, Jean-Philippe Blondet and Kuba Winkowski, whom are both great chefs. Winning against them is absolutely fantastic.”

The Young Chef Award went to Rick Owens. Owens trained at Westminster Kingsway College before becoming a commis chef at Raymond Blanc’s world renowned two Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.

Full list of winners

Chef’s Favourite Branded Restaurant 2019 sponsored by Santa Maria

Miller & Carter

Apprentice Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Compass Group

Paige Hill, Royal Garden Hotel

Armed Services Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Vestey Foodservice

Cpl David Davey-Smith, Royal Air Force

Banqueting and Event Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Major International

Gemma Amor, Sodexo, Ascot Racecourse

Chef Lecturer Award 2019 sponsored by Hotel, Restaurant & Catering Show 2019

Andrea Ruff, The Claire Clark Academy

Competition Chef Award 2019 sponsored by McCormick UK Ltd

Cpl Ian Mark, Royal Air Force

Contract Catering Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Kerry

James Larkins, Compass Group

Development Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Essential Cuisine

Laurence Tottingham, Oliver Kay

Innovation Award 2019 sponsored by Quorn Foods

Andrew Clarke – St Leonards

Pastry Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Carpigiani UK

Sarah Frankland, Penny Hill Park Hotel

Pub Restaurant Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Bidfood

Dave Wall, The Unruly Pig

Public Sector Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Rational UK

Ryan Hopper, ESS Defence

Restaurant Chef Award 2019 sponsored by Hoshizaki UK

Pascal Canevet, La Maison Bleue

Young Chef Award 2019 sponsored by De Manincor

Rick Owens, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

People’s Choice Award 2019 sponsored by Nisbets

Murray Chapman, First Contact Chefs

New Restaurant of the Year Award 2019 sponsored by Jelf Insurance

Alex Bond, Alchemilla Restaurant

Special Award 2019 sponsored by Sodexo

Michael Caines

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The competition is famed for its long list of illustrious winners and experienced panel of judges with 2017 being no exception. Gary Jones, head chef at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons has been revealed as the new Chair of Judges, taking over from Clare Smyth MBE.

David Mulcahy, vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs and organiser of NCOTY, said: “Gary has been involved with the competition for many years and we are thrilled that he is overseeing the judging panel. This competition moves up a gear every single year and with Gary at the helm we are confident this will continue. The NCOTY committee has created an interesting brief for the online entry stage and we’re looking forward to seeing how different chefs interpret it. Whatever stage you get to in this competition, you will learn from the experience and take away new ideas that will help you develop as a chef.”

To enter National Chef of the Year in 2017, chefs need to produce a creative menu for two guests to be served within two hours. The menu must consist of a vegetarian based starter, a duck and cherry combination main course and a classic tart as a dessert. Competitors will put their own interpretation on each dish with a strong focus on seasonality and sustainable sourcing of ingredients. Full details of the brief and an online entry form can be found at www.nationalchefoftheyear.co.uk.

Speaking about his new role, Gary Jones stated: “I am delighted to be the Chair of Judges for NCOTY. It’s a competition that has been won by so many talented chefs, has an incredible panel of judges, and receives fantastic support from media, sponsors and partners. I’ll be working with the Craft Guild of Chefs to find new and exciting ways to drive this event forward, whilst ensuring that culinary skills continue to evolve in the UK. It’s this focus on skill which makes the NCOTY title so credible, and one that so many chefs across the UK aspire to win.”

The competition is open to chefs who are 24 years or older on February 1st 2017. Competitors may come from all areas of the hospitality business including hotels, restaurants, pubs, contract catering, fine dining, private and public sectors and may be working in the UK or overseas.

After taking the title in 2016, James Devine, commented: “I was encouraged to enter NCOTY by my employers and having seen the record of winners, I knew that I wanted my name on it next. As soon as the entry process started I threw myself into the competition and used every spare minute I had to ensure that my name was called out as the winner last October. When you look at the calibre of judges at each stage, you know you’ve truly earned your place on that list. I’d recommend all chefs give themselves the opportunity to be part of this competition and enter.”

Chefs have until Friday, March 31, to submit their entry and a shortlist of 40 chefs for the semi-finals will be revealed on May 19. This year’s heats will take place at Sheffield College on Tuesday, June 6, and at Le Cordon Bleu in London on Tuesday, 20th June. Ten chefs will go through to the National Chef of the Year final, which takes place at The Restaurant Show on Tuesday, October 3

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Who or what inspired you to follow a career as a chef? I started cooking in restaurants at a really young age – about 14 or 15 – just helping out in the school holidays and I developed a real passion for cooking and chefs. I went out and bought lots of cookbooks but not the ones aimed at home cooks, in fact, the first book I bought was Anton Mosimann’s ‘Cuisine à la Carte’!

Have your Northern Irish roots influenced your style of cooking in any way? Probably not in terms of my style of cooking but I grew up on a farm which gave me a very good understanding of ingredients and how much work goes into farming. Agriculture was huge where I grew up and everyone was involved in the business in some way. It’s a tough job which is done every single day of the year and that gave me huge respect for the industry.

How important is working in kitchens in different countries to professional chefs? It is tremendously important, more so before than now. Previously without the internet, you had to actually go places to learn from the great chefs. If you stayed in the same area, you would end up using the same techniques. Travelling was a way you could really break out and train under different masters. It’s a global industry and it’s important to learn from different people.

You have worked for some of the biggest names in the business. What was the most important piece of advice you received (and from whom?) I’ve received a lot of good advice but one piece of advice that I have used time and time again was from Gordon (Ramsay) – Focus on Clare Smyth yourself and don’t worry what everyone else is doing around you. It’s a very good lesson for life in general. Quite often people let their own work suffer because they are preoccupied with other people.

In previous interviews you have talked about the “soul” and “spirit” of fellow chefs. How would you describe your own ‘soul’ and style of working? I’m someone who is very passionate and wears their heart on their sleeve. I’m calm and content in the kitchen, it’s the happiest place for me to be so I’m always in a good mood. No matter what goes wrong or how tired you are, you are working with nature and at one with the world.

Why did you ultimately plump to work with Gordon Ramsay over everyone else? At that time he was simply the best and there was nothing like it. He had just won his third Michelin star and it was the hardest kitchen I could have worked in. It felt like a different pressure and the energy coming out of the kitchen was spectacular. I wanted to be the best and I thought if I could survive at that level I had a good chance.

Gordon described you as “undoubtedly one of the greatest chefs to have graced my kitchen”. How did that make you feel? It was great. Gordon is very generous with me but, without being arrogant, I have known him for 15 years and run his three Michelin star restaurant for nine years so I think I have earned it!

Can you describe the pressure you feel being the first female chef in the UK to run a restaurant with three Michelin stars. When I first took over it was an amazing opportunity which I might never have had the chance to do again so I grasped it with both hands. It was a huge weight on my shoulders thinking ‘What if I lose it?’ and I was only 28 so I was very young. Gordon knew I could do it but the pressure never let up. I recently moved out of the kitchen but the pressure still remains because if Matt (Abé), the new chef de cuisine who I trained for seven years, doesn’t succeed, I will have still failed.

What advice can you offer to aspiring female chefs? Word hard. It’s got nothing to do with being male or female, playing the female card just doesn’t stack up any more. It’s an even playing field in the kitchen and you should never use being female as an excuse.

Tell us about your new restaurant venture. Why have you decided that now is the time to ‘go it alone’? It’s coming along and I’m hoping it will be open in spring next year. There have been a few hold-ups with planning permission, which I’ve found hard. I’m used to having things done in five minutes so it has been frustrating that things have been in other people’s hands but I’m really excited. I’d been thinking about it for some time. I will always cook the way I cook, so it will be a modern fine dining restaurant.

And now for three questions that we ask all of our Leading Lights…

1. What are your three kitchen secrets? i) Always buy the best quality ingredients you can afford. ii) Mis en place – Be prepared. If you don’t have everything coming together at the right time, your dish will be spoilt. iii) Seasoning – people are frightened of seasoning but it is vital for balancing your food and I’m not just talking about salt and pepper, but acid and sugar too.

2. What is your favourite ingredient and why? Vinegar – I love vinegar and I have various vinegars for different things.

3. Please could you share your favourite recipe, along with your reasons for choosing it? Seabass with minestrone of shellfish. I really love light food and broths and this elegant dish really sums up how I like to eat. Click here to try Clare’s favourite recipe 

Click here to read the rest of the November/December 2016 issue of Stir it up

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Over the last 44 years, the UK’s most prestigious and respected culinary competition has shone a spotlight on the fresh talent coming out of kitchens. Previous winners such as Gordon Ramsay, Alyn Williams and Mark Sargeant, have demonstrated how it helps fast-track careers and put winners firmly on the map, and on the path to Michelin stars.

For the first stage of the contest, competitors are required to produce a creative lunch menu for four guests that could be cooked-up within two hours. The menu must consist of a risotto starter of the competitor’s choice; a main course using a whole chicken, with appropriate accompaniments and a choux pastry dessert of choice.

David Mulcahy, vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs and organiser of the National Chef of the Year competition, said: “I always feel a sense of excitement on launch day as the brief for this year’s competition is unveiled and the buzz about the competition begins once again. Whether you have entered this competition before or are considering putting your skills to the ultimate challenge for the first time, I’d recommend entering. You just never know how far it could take you. This competition is not based on a chef’s personality or past triumphs but simply on culinary skills, interpretation of the ingredients and what chefs can create when the heat is really on.”

The winning chef will receive a wide range of prizes including a culinary trip to one of the world’s top restaurants, stagiaire opportunities, equipment from sponsors and chocolate workshops.

Clare Smyth MBE, chair of judges, said: “Being known as the National Chef of the Year really is career changing. I want to encourage chefs from across all sectors to take part as it’s a fantastic platform to get your name out there. I am proud to be involved in the most respected culinary competition in the UK. We’ve created a really interesting brief for this year and I’m looking forward to seeing the menus that come in over the next few months.”

The competition is open to chefs who are 24 years or older as of April 1, 2016. Competitors may come from all areas of the hospitality business including hotels, restaurants, pubs, contract catering, fine dining, private and public sectors and may be working in the UK or overseas.

Last year’s winner, Larry Jayasekara, sous chef at Gordon Ramsay Holdings, will never forget the moment he won the accolade. He said: “It’s something I’ve always wanted and a dream I was never going to give up on. Simply having the opportunity for your food to be sampled by some of the UK’s most well-respected judges is incredible. However, nothing can beat that moment when you are standing in a line with some of the most talented and up-and-coming chefs in the UK and it’s you that is declared as the winner. Good luck to all the chefs entering this year, whatever stage you get to you won’t regret being part of this experience.”

Chefs have until Friday, April 8, to submit their entry for paper judging via the new National Chef of the Year website at www.nationalchefoftheyear. The dedicated NCOTY site will be packed full of the latest news, advice and inspiration and will be updated throughout the competition.

A shortlist of 40 chefs for the semi-finals will be revealed on May 24 following the paper judging on the 20^th. This year’s heats will take place at Sheffield College on Tuesday, June 14, and at Le Cordon Bleu in London on Wednesday, June 22. Ten chefs will go through to the National Chef of the Year final, which takes place at the Restaurant Show on Tuesday, October 4.

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