‘There are more good young chefs out there than ever before’: Royal Academy of Culinary Arts announces AAE 2024 winners

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) has revealed the 23 winners of this year’s Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE), which recognises the brightest young talent in the industry.

Recipients were invited to a glittering gala dinner at Claridge’s London, held yesterday, hosted by John Williams, president of RACA; Adam Byatt, chair of RACA; and Lisa Jenkins, chief executive of RACA.

The candidate who achieved the highest score in each of the three categories was named Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter of the Year.

Kitchen finalists had five and half hours to produce two starter portions of a pasta dish featuring live 500g of hen crab, as well as two portions of a stuffed quail with two garnishes from a mystery basket and a classic Robuchon Cherry Clafoutis.

Pastry finalists were given five and a half hours to produce a Quiche Lorraine, six Rum Babas, 18 hand-piped dark chocolate mendiants and a piece of chocolate under the theme of the Olympics.

Finally, service finalists were asked to demonstrate mise en place and silver service for a four-course meal, which involved serving a darne of salmon table-side, as well as decanting and describing wines for a table of two guest judges. These were held at Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester in London and Gleneagles in Auchterarder.

Nathan Cooper, senior chef de partie at BaxterStorey, Goldman Sachs Bank, was named 2024 Young Chef of the Year, while Eleanor McCulloch, pastry demi chef de partie at the Dorchester, and Giorgia Sandroni, pastry demi chef de partie at Harrods Chocolaterie, were both named 2024 Young Pastry Chef(s) of the Year.

Meanwhile, Fabrizia Welman, assistant restaurant manager at Heckfield Place, was named 2024 Young Waiter of the Year.

Cooper had been at BaxterStorey for the past two years and said it was “unreal” to have won this year’s title after a “very challenging” set of heats, while Welman, who has been at Heckfield Place for the past four years, said: “I really didn’t think I was going to be the highest achiever but I’m very grateful. It was an incredible experience.”

McCulloch and Sandroni, who both received the same score at this year’s AAE, advised those taking on the challenge next year to “push yourself as hard as you can” and “practise a lot”.

Sandroni added: “I had never done a chocolate showpiece, so I just practised every day.”

Nineteen more chefs, pastry chefs and waiters who scored over 70% in the tasks set and judged by a team of industry leaders successfully achieved their AAE following finals held in April, May and June.

Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter of the Year received scholarships from the Savoy Education Trust, a specially commissioned engraved silver trophy and work experience at the Fat Duck in Bray, as well as other personalised gifts, including the chance to make their own knife (Young Chef); two copper sugar pans (Young Pastry Chef); and a bespoke wine kit and a seven-course taster menu with Champagne at the Ritz (Young Waiter).

Jenkins said: “The Annual Awards of Excellence is at the heart of what we do at RACA. Supporting, teaching, and mentoring with a focus on technical skills that create quality foundations. The Annual Awards of Excellence have raised the bar and set standards for the industry over the past four decades.”

Phil Howard, honorary president of the AAE, told The Caterer: “It’s a real privilege to be honorary president. I’ve always been a real believer in competitions. I love watching young people put themselves in a position that is outside of their comfort zone because that is how we as human beings grow and progress. This year, based on all the judging I’ve done over the years, what you can see is there are more good young chefs out there than ever before and that I think is a great thing.”

Williams added: “There’s nothing better than a competition to measure how well you are doing. I’ll always say to my people, go for a competition. You can see exactly where you are, it opens you up and it makes you think about yourself and how good and how much better you need to be. It breeds a certain kind of mentality in your kitchen and makes sure the youngsters are growing stronger and better than our generation, which is the most important.”

The full list of RACA AAE 2024 Achievers are below

• Liam Balmer, sous chef, Elmbrook Court
• Nathan Cooper, senior chef de partie, BaxterStorey, Goldman Sachs Bank
• Kristian Elias, senior chef de partie, Trinity
• Lewis Maclean, sous chef, the Dorchester hotel – Promenade Kitchen
• Thomas Marriage, senior chef de partie, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
• Kimberley Allison, waitperson, Trump Turnberry
• Madeleine Bate, waitress, Rogan and Co
• Charly Dix, head waitress, Grove of Narberth
• Daisy Hudson, restaurant supervisor, the Clockspire
• Joran Lees, full time 1906 waitperson, Trump Turnberry – 1906 restaurant
• Raegan Lynch, restaurant manager, Crossbasket Castle
• Jennifer Mcilwraith, food and beverage senior waiter, Trump Turnberry
• Eve Moffat, chef de rang, the Strathearn restaurant, the Gleneagles hotel
• Evan Russell, senior waiter, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
• Rohit Sharma, senior waiter, the Greyhound Pub and Dining
• Diana-Carolina Suzuki Chong, restaurant supervisor, Kerridge’s Bar and Grill
• Alexandra von Stauffenberg, chef de rang, Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at the OWO
• Fabrizia Welman, assistant restaurant manager, Heckfield Place
• Maisie Barnes, demi chef de partie, the Ritz London
• Vincent Maurange, pastry chef de partie, La Dame de Pic at Four Seasons Ten Trinity
• Eleanor McCulloch, pastry demi chef de partie, the Dorchester
• Giorgia Sandroni, pastry demi chef de partie, Harrods Chcolaterie
• Maddy Smith, chef de partie, Claridge’s

Joint chairs of Kitchen were Martyn Nail, culinary director, the Dorchester and Hywel Jones, executive chef, Lucknam Park. Joint Chairs of Pastry were Yolande Stanley, the Pastry Training Company and Sarah Harnett, executive pastry group, Smart Group.

Joint chairs of Service were Sergio Rebecchi, director, Serenata Hospitality and John Cousins, director, the Food and Beverage Company.

Judges included Daniel Crump, proprietor, the Greyhound, Beaconsfield; Graeme Cumine, restaurant manager, L’Enclume; Melissa Fergus, general manager, Mauro Colagreco at Raffles; Richard Newell, director of food and beverage, the Dorchester; Sarah Frankland, executive chef, Pennyhill Park; Michael Kwan, executive pastry chef, the Dorchester; George Blogg, executive head chef, Gravetye Manor; Tom De Keyser, head chef, the Hand and Flowers; and André Garrett MCA, executive chef, Corinthia Hotel London.

The gala dinner also raised over £8,000 for charity.