Craft Guild of Chefs reveals semi-finalists for National Chef of the Year

The Craft Guild of Chefs has revealed the names of 40 semi-finalists who will be participating in this year’s National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) competition.

Candidates submitted a three-course menu following a brief set by chair of judges, Kenny Atkinson.

All entries were judged anonymously and different judges were responsible for scoring each course.

For the next stage of the competition, candidates must create a signature vegan dish suitable as an amuse bouche or small first course. They must also provide further information on their three-course menu.

Atkinson, who is also chef patron at House of Tides and Solstice in Newcastle, said: “Judging these entries was a difficult task, not only because of the number we received, but the standard was so strong with only a handful of marks separating a large number of chefs.

“The brief has really captured the attention of the industry and it’s been great to see the creative ways chefs have thought about costs and reducing waste. I’m really interested to see how the chefs interpret the next challenge focusing on a humble ingredient. Having seen so many incredible dishes I know the judges are in for a treat at the final.”

Ben Murphy (pictured) of Launceston Place was crowned NCOTY 2023.

The 40 semi-finalists are listed below:

• Adam Fisher, head chef, Pennyhill Park Hotel
• Alex Angelogiannis, senior sous chef, the Glenturret Restaurant by Lalique
• Arbinder Dugal, owner, Arbinder's At Home
• Ben Boeynaems, executive chef, the Beaumont Hotel
• Charlotte Vincent, head chef, The Candlelight Inn
• Chris Loye, owner, Flavour Chocolate
• Christopher Beavis, executive chef, Royal Air Force Combined Services Culinary Arts Team
• Cleverson Cordeiro, head chef, Frog by Adam Handling
• Craig Edgell, head chef, Buoy and Oyster
• Danny Young, head chef, Port Gaverne Hotel
• Elly Wentworth, executive chef, the Holland Group/The Angel Restaurant
• Fergus Wilford, senior sous chef, Fallow Restaurant
• Grahame Wickham, head chef, Guards Polo Club
• Iain Gourlay, head chef, Cringletie House Hotel
• Jamal Bendghoughi, teaching chef, Le Cordon Bleu
• Jethro Lawrence, development chef, Apetito UK
• Jozef Rogulski, executive head chef, the Stafford London
• Kacper Walor, development chef, Bubble Food
• Karl O'Dell, head chef, the Monarch
• Kyle Bowman, development chef, Sodexo
• Lee Parsons, owner, the Parsons Table Restaurant
• Marc Billings, head chef, Prestwold Hall and Hall Barns at Prestwold
• Mark McCabe, owner, The Ethicurean
• Matthew Smith, head chef, Inver Restaurant
• Michael Bullard, head chef, Estelle Manor
• Oliver Dovey, sous chef, Coutts & Co, Baxterstorey
• Olivier Certain, head chef, the Bittescombe Inn
• Paul Leonard, head chef, Forest Side
• Richard Sharp, development chef, chefsTABLE at TRUEfoods
• Rohan Wadke, owner, Rohan's Kitchen
• Ruth Hansom Rigby, head chef, Swinton Estate
• Ryan Gibson, sous chef, Morston Hall hotel
• Sam Clover, head chef, the Peacock Inn
• Sergio Cinotti, head chef, Gem 42
• Simon Webb, executive head chef, Baxter Storey
• Stefan Sewell, head chef, RAF Honington
• Steven Halligan, chef patron, Restaurant Metamorphica
• Tom Bennetts, head chef, Driftwood Spars
• Vladimir Hromek, head chef, South Farm Wedding Venue
• Yiannis Mexis, head chef, Hide

All the semi-finalists have been invited to the ‘Kitchen Theory’ event at the Lockhart Innovation Centre in London, which will be taking place on 17 July courtesy of CCS and Churchill.