Nathan Lane wins 2019 BCF Young Chef of the Year

Nathan Lane of the Cross, Kenilworth, was named the winner of the British Culinary Federation’s Young Chef of the Year 2019 on Monday (11 November).

He beat Sam King of the Ritz London and Luke Draper of Cheal’s of Henley into second and third place respectively at the finals held at the University College Birmingham

Draper picked up the award for the stand-out starter, best main course went to Lane, while King picked won the award for the best dessert.

Lane's winning menu comprised: tartlet of oeufs mollet, wild mushroom duxelle, hollandaise sauce, herb salad, truffle purée; pan-roasted ribeye of Irish beef, roscoff onion farci, carrot braised in beef fat, crushed celeriac, crispy potato, bordelaise sauce; and Grand Marnier soufflé, pain d’epice, crème Chantilly

The finalists included: Ben Dullea, Pomanos, London Oliver Melford, the Mermaid Inn, Rye, East Sussex Benjamin Ferron, the Frog, Hoxton, London Angelina Adamo, Simpsons, Birmingham Samuel King, the Ritz London Anna Wise, Lumiere, Cheltenham Theo Hadjitofi, DeBanke Group, Warwickshire William Venner, the Boot Inn, Lapworth, Warwickshire Nathan Lane, the Cross, Kenilworth, Warwickshire Amrita Phull, Buckland Manor, Broadway, Worcestershire Armine Abdaoui, House of Commons, London Jas Bryan, Opus, Birmingham Luke Draper, Cheal’s of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire Cameron McNally, University College Birmingham Karl Fontaine, Hide, London

As well as receiving the David Bache Trophy, Lane was presented with a cheque for £500, commemorative plate, framed certificate, a special dispenser presented by Wrapmaster, a gift box from Major, an invitation to a celebration lunch courtesy of Villeroy & Boch, plus automatic entry into the National Young Chef of the Year 2020 competition.

The judges were: Glynn Purnell, Purnell’s restaurant, Birmingham; Paul Foster, Salt, Stratford-upon-Avon; Peter Joyner, food development chef director, Elior; Stuart McLeod, chef director, Zuidam; Idris Caldora, Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, Chef Adopt-A-School and David Colcombe, visiting professor, Culinary Arts, University College Birmingham