Kenny Atkinson and Lisa Goodwin-Allen revealed as new top judges for National and Young National Chef of the Year

Two new chairs of judges have been revealed by the Craft Guild of Chefs for the National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year competitions.

Taking over from Paul Ainsworth as chair of judges for National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) on its 50-year anniversary will be Kenny Atkinson, chef-patron at the Michelin-starred House of Tides in Newcastle.

Meanwhile, Northcote executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen will take over from Hrishikesh Desai after his three-year stint as chair of judges for Young National Chef of the Year.

Both chefs will take on the roles for the next two years of the competition, planning for which is underway, with further details on the briefs to be revealed in the spring.

Atkinson said: “National Chef of the Year is a competition which I have both competed in and judged throughout my career, so to be asked and named Chairman of Judges is an absolute honour. When I think of the names that have judged this prestigious competition over the years it fills me with huge pride, and I have some big shoes to fill. NCOTY is an amazing competition for chefs of all levels to showcase their skills on a platform like no other. I’m looking forward to following the hard work that the previous judges have done to bring a new dynamic to this competition and to help showcase the amazing talent we have in this country.”

Goodwin-Allen added: “It is a great honour to be chosen to be the new chair of this prestigious competition which is very high acclaimed throughout the industry, and I look forward to the challenge ahead. Over the next two years, I want to really inspire young chefs to look at the quality of ingredients and flavour and tell a story of who they are with their dishes.”

Organiser of the competition, David Mulcahy, who is food innovation and sustainability director at Sodexo UK and Ireland, said: “We’ve had some incredible chairs of judges in recent years including Paul Ainsworth, Gary Jones, Clare Smyth and Philip Howard but it’s vital we keep changing the leadership so that the competitions evolve and move forward. Each chair has brought something different to the contest whether that’s been their thinking behind the brief or how the judging is completed.

“Kenny and Lisa are huge ambassadors in the UK culinary scene and have both judged for us for many years as they recognise the role these events have to play in developing chefs’ skills. We can’t wait to work with them even more closely over the next two years; I know it’s going to be an exciting time for the competition.”