Winners announced for the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs GB Young Professional Awards 2022

The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs GB Young Professional Awards 2022 crowned Liam Rogers of Gleneagles, Scotland, as Young Chef of the Year, and Frederick Johnson of the Fat Duck, Bray, as Young Sommelier of the Year.

Rogers, 25, from Warrington, will compete in the Chaîne’s World Championships in Mexico at the beginning of October, and Johnson, 25, from Fulham, will be representing Great Britain in Wiesbaden, Germany, this September.

Magdalena Babik, 22, from Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford, won the Gerard Basset Trophy for the best palate in the competition, as she scored the highest marks in the blind tasting and food and wine matching sessions.

The finals were held at the Harrods Social by Jason Atherton and was attended by over 60 guests.

For the Young Chef of the Year award held at Knorr kitchens in Leatherhead, the three finalists were given a ‘surprise’ box of ingredients from which they had to create and deliver a three-course meal for four in three hours.

Rogers, a former MasterChef: The Professionals finalist, beat runner-up Daniel Parker and highly commended Thomas Wyper, both from Grantley Hall in North Yorkshire, with his winning three-course menu, which consisted of lemon sole with parsley emulsion, poached artichoke and brown butter with shrimps; poached ballotine of chicken with chicken mousse, chorizo and sweetcorn fricassee, chorizo jam, wilted spinach and crispy chicken skin; and poached rhubarb, rhubarb puree, whipped crème fraiche with tarragon and a sable biscuit.

Rogers said: “A mystery box is always tough, but I think my experience on Master Chef certainly taught me to hold my nerve, and keep cool under pressure. I am so excited [to visit Mexico]. It’s a place I have always wanted to visit.”

For the Young Sommelier of the Year award held at the Double Tree Hilton in London’s Kensington, the finalists had to take a theory and practical somms final. Johnson triumphed over Magdalena Babik from Le Manoir and Ryan Duffy of Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, who took Highly Commended.

Johnson said: “I am delighted - and quite surprised as this was then first competition I have ever entered. I’m now studying for the MS qualification, so this gives me wonderful experience.”

Philip Evins, bailli délégué of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs GB, said: “We are extremely grateful to Bidfoods for the comprehensive mystery boxes, Wright Bros for the seafood, Bragard for the embroidered chefs’ jackets, Zweisel glass, Nyetimber, Knorr and Mosimanns for all their help with the competitions, and of course Harrods and the Social brigade for the excellent lunch.

“Ben Purton, Operations Manager for Harrods Restaurants – and our Head Judge for the Chefs – made it all possible.”