Annual Awards of Excellence 2015

Royal Academy of Culinary Arts have announced this year’s winners of the Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE) 2015 following the finals which were held at Le Gavroche, The Gleneagles Hotel and University of West London. The AAE is regarded as the most prestigious award available to young professionals in the hospitality industry, recognising and encouraging the most talented ambitious chefs, pastry chefs and waiters. Since it began in 1983 over 480 young professionals have achieved the award, setting them off on highly successful career paths.

The winners are as follows: KITCHEN: Stacey Harris - KPMG Restaurant Associates Dorian Janmaat - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Aaron Middleton - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Theodore Selby - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Michael Thompson - Fera at Claridge's PASTRY: Jamie Butler - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Gabriella Cugno - William Curley Rebecca Gawn - Bachmann's Patisserie Roberto Guzzi - The Langham Hotel Theresa Martinez - The Park Lane Hotel Paul Maxwell - The Ritz London Elisha Shek - Yauatcha Stephen Smith - The Ritz London SERVICE: Ferraro Ambrogio - The Ritz London Kevin Barbry - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Thomas Borghi - The Ritz London Jonathan Boyer - Luton Hoo Enzo Buonocore - The Ritz London Andrea Caputo - The Ritz London Claudiu Gheorghita - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Manolo Giannico - The Ritz London Emily Goossens - Northcote Peter Ioannou - Sea Containers at Mondrian London Lucy Jones - Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa Michelle Maida-Re - The Gleneagles Hotel Stanislas Mascaro - The Waterside Inn Louis Muller - The Ritz London Gabriela Murea - Opus Restaurant Declan Nye - Cliveden House Hotel Benjamin Sananes - Le Gavroche Jennifer Santner - Fenchurch Seafood Bar and Grill Christoph Schrottenbaum - Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Klaus Schwebach - The Gleneagles Hotel Ilias Skordilis - The Gleneagles Hotel Jamie Tones - Café 21 Lucy Yates - The Gleneagles Hotel To achieve the award candidates had to attain a score of over 70% in the tasks set and judged by industry luminaries chaired by John Williams MBE, executive chef, The Ritz London and Chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. Kitchen Finalists had five hours to produce a summer soup starter, using ingredients from a mystery box; turbot normande; a whole duck dish from the entry task each candidate prepared; and their own modern interpretation of a raspberry mille-feuille.

Pastry Finalists had 5.5 hours to produce two bûche de noël; a sugar stand on which to display one bûche de noël; four portions of a fruit based verrine; and 20 petits fours nougat de montelimar. Service Finalists were required to decant and describe wines to the judging panel, as well as set up and serve a 3 course meal with wines and liqueurs to a table of two guest judges. The winning candidates will be invited to a Gala Dinner at Claridge’s on Tuesday 14th July, at which they will be presented with their award. The candidate who has scored the highest mark in each section – the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter of the year - will be announced at the dinner and will be presented with a trophy and prizes including a travel scholarship, thanks to the Savoy Educational Trust.

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