National Chef of the Year 2025 opens for entries

The Craft Guild of Chefs has opened entries for the 2025 National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) competition.

Professional chefs from all backgrounds are being invited to take part in the contest, which launched in 1972 and has crowned previous winners including Gordon Ramsay, Alyn Williams, and Mark Sargeant.

New chair of judges Matt Abé, who is chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, has revealed the brief for this year’s entries. It will require chefs to demonstrate excellent culinary skills across all areas, show creative use of sustainable ingredients, and minimise food waste.

Competitors are required to produce a three-course celebration menu for two covers within three hours.

One of Abé's first big changes since taking on the role has been to extend the cook-off time to give chefs the opportunity to produce their best work.

The theme for the starter is ‘This is me‘. Chefs are being asked to create a fish, seafood or vegetarian dish that reflects their own identity and unique personality.

The main course must be a lamb dish that uses two different cuts and should be suitably garnished and capable of being cooked within the extended three-hour period. Judges will look at how the lamb is elevated using relevant complementary and seasonal ingredients, flavours, textures and techniques.

For the finale, competitors are required to produce a warm or cold chocolate dessert that showcases the flavours of Valrhona Chocolate. Competitors must showcase chocolate as the focal point of the dessert, and it must complement the rest of the menu.

Entries are now open, and chefs can register online. Once they have registered, they will be kept informed throughout the entry process with any FAQs and deadline reminders.

Abé said: “Entering NCOTY is a great experience for chefs to really push themselves and test their own ability, as well as against their peers in the industry.

“Obviously, we are looking for the next winner but winning is not everything with this competition as there is so much to experience at whatever stage you get to.

“Who knows what doors this opportunity could open for you in the future.”

Chefs will have until 10 May 2024 to complete their entries.

Abé and his panel of judges will select 40 semi-finalists for the next stage by 26 June.

Ten finalists will then be chosen to cook their original entry on 8 October.

Last year’s winner was Alex Angelogiannis, senior sous chef at the Glenturret Lalique Restaurant in Crieff.