Finalists revealed for National Chef of the Year 2020

After a closely fought four rounds of heats, the 10 finalists in the running to be crowned National Chef of the Year 2020 have been announced by the Craft Guild of Chefs.

 

Wowing the judges in the first heat, which took place at Sheffield College on 11 June, was Marc Billings, sous chef at Prestwold Hall in Loughborough.

 

The heat winners from London (pictured, right to left) were Fraser Bruce, head chef at the Halsetown Inn, St Ives; Mehdi Lahmadi, junior sous chef at Coworth Park in Ascot, Berkshire; and Steve Groves, head chef from Roux at Parliament Square in London.

 

The final six places went to the chefs with the highest scores across all four heats, including:
1. Nick Edgar, head chef at the Ryebeck hotel, Bowness on Windermere, Cumbria
2. Derek Johnstone, head chef at Borthwick Castle, North Middleton, Midlothian
3. Ben Boeynaems, head chef at the Zetter hotel, London
4. Harry Kirkpatrick, sous chef, Trinity Restaurant, London
5. Karl O'Dell, head chef at Texture London
6. Nick Smith, head chef at Vacherin

 

Chair of judges, Gary Jones, executive chef at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, said: "We've seen some really innovative dishes this year and a huge variety in the methods and styles of cooking. I think one of the main reasons for this is the tweak we made to the brief where one element could be cooked in advance. Chefs have truly risen to this challenge, with some incredible flavours being served, as it's a more familiar way of cooking for them.

 

"For the 10 finalists, my advice is don't waste this opportunity, put everything you've got into it, as only one chef will walk away as the winner. The final will be a huge learning curve in each chef's personal development and I wish them all the best of luck."

 

Organiser of the competition and vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, David Mulcahy, added: "With just over 100 entries in this year's competition it's exciting for us to discover the new top 10 in the running for the 2020 title. We've also got 10 talented chefs lined up to be pushed into the limelight in the young chef competition, having earned their place either through a heat or by being a leading competition winner… This year's finalists will have to impress an inspiring list of judges including Clare Smyth, Jonny Lake, Claude Bosi, Philip Howard and Chantelle Nicholson."

 

For 2019, the Young Chef of the Year has a new chair of judges, with Hrishikesh Desai, executive chef at the Gilpin hotel in Windermere, Cumbria, taking the lead. Over the last week, the competition has confirmed six more finalists with Jordon Powell, chef de partie at South Lodge hotel in Horsham, Sussex, being the first to earn a spot when he won his heat in Sheffield.

 

George Harding, senior chef de partie at the Atlantic hotel in Jersey, was the heat winner at Le Cordon Bleu yesterday. The remaining final spots were given to Bethan Disley-Jones, apprentice pastry chef, the Art School Liverpool; Gercelynn Mae Dionio, demi chef de partie at Lucknam Park hotel and spa, Chippenham, Wiltshire; Sion Hughes, chef de partie at Carden Park hotel and spa in Chester; and William Keeble, demi chef de partie from Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

 

Four chefs have already been seeded to the final by winning some of the UK's top titles, including Ben Cowley, sous chef at the Wilderness in Birmingham, who was the Graduate Awards Highest Achiever; Matthew Nicholls of Cheal's of Henley, Warwickshire, who won the British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year; and Sam Everton representing World Skills.

 

The final place will be the winner of the Academy of Culinary Arts Awards of Excellence which will be announced in July.

 

Desai said: "I was honoured to be asked to take on this role and have thoroughly enjoyed judging these two young chef heats. Having previously competed in and won the National Chef of the Year, I understand how the chefs feel and I think they have done a fantastic job in new environments, working well under pressure."

 

Both finals will take place at the Restaurant Show at Olympia London on 1 October in front of a live audience. Chefs will discover the brief at a mentor day on 10 September.

 

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