Harrison Brockington: The Roux Scholarship 2026 winner and restaurant owner

Considering The Roux Scholarship is designed to showcase and support emerging chefs aged 30 and under, the fact this year’s winner has been running his own restaurant for seven years already is a remarkable feat in itself.

By Harrison Brockington’s own admission, in hindsight, it was a “foolish” venture to open a restaurant aged just 21.

However, Gather in Totnes is still standing and Harrison, who previously competed on MasterChef: The Professionals and won the South West Chef of the Year title in 2024, has now further emphasised his talent and mettle.

The 28-year-old is the latest name to join the illustrious Roux Scholarship winners’ list, which also features renowned British chefs such as Andrew Fairlie (1984), Sat Bains (1999), Simon Hulstone (2003), Mark Birchall (2011), Adam Smith (2012) and Spencer Metzger (2019).

“It is a very pinch yourself, surreal type of thing, but it feels amazing,” Harrison told The Staff Canteen.

“I'd made it through to the finals two years previous, and the dish I'd put up on that day I wasn't happy with, whereas this year I was at least happy with the dish I put forwards.

“It’s hard because all the competitors are really great chefs, from great establishments. Because of the layout, I hadn't really seen anyone else's food or anything like that, so it's really hard to compare.

“I was happy with what I put forward, but I really hadn't seen anyone else's, so I didn't know how I had done.”

Asked what the feeling was when his name was called as the winner, Harrison added: “It was just completely surreal. I couldn't believe it.

“I've followed the competition for a long time. It’s one of those things you always would love to do, but I never really thought I'd have a chance.

“I put a lot of work into training and coming in and practicing, but I think everyone's doing that at that level.

“Just actually getting the name called… the support has been overwhelming. It's been from locals for the restaurant, and then also from other Roux Scholars reaching out and helping and offering advice.”

Hear from 2024 Roux Scholar Craig Johnston below

Star-studded judging panel

Alongside Harrison in this year’s final were Liam Anderson (Midsummer House), Jordon Powell (Chalk Restaurant), Oliver Robinson (Coworth Park), Nikoletta Theofylaktidou (Restaurant Associates) and George Wintle (Trinity).

The judging panel was led by honorary president of judges Mauro Colagreco, alongside joint chairmen Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr.

They were joined at The Waterside Inn in Bray by Brian Turner, Emily Roux, Sat Bains, André Garrett, Simon Hulstone, James Martin, Mark Birchall, Angela Hartnett and Lisa Goodwin-Allen.

Asked what it was like cooking for such an esteemed judging panel, Harrison said: “It is really daunting, really scary, and nervous to go in and cook.

“You always see them on social media or on telly, and it's just then actually meeting them in person.

“But the support through the competition has always been something I've noted.

“All the judges, they might seem a bit scary before, but when you go in there, they really do want you just to cook your best and they want you to do your best as well.

“They make that really clear. They're always there for help and support.

“So it seems scary, but then when you actually meet them and start cooking, everything sort of falls into place.

“They're not trying to make you trip up or anything like that. They really do want you to do your best, so that makes your nerves come down then.”

Why Harrison likes competition cooking

Many chefs would avoid putting themselves in positions of added pressure in competitions such as The Roux Scholarship, or MasterChef.

But for Harrison, he sees them as a perfect opportunity.

“I really like the competitions, but I always see them as just a really great way to learn more than anything, rather than putting yourself under pressure,” he said.

“It’s more of a learning experience.

“For me, opening the restaurant really young, it was a really great way of pushing yourself, but you're also getting advice from mentors.

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“Even in the early stages of competitions, when you're doing the written stages, it still requires a lot of time that you're coming in, practicing and working on your skills.

“For me, it was a really, really great way of continuing to learn.

“Then getting through the stages, you're seeing what other competitors are doing. You're getting feedback from all the really great judges.

“If you're listening to the feedback they're giving you, looking at what other people are doing as well, not copying, but taking inspiration or being like, ‘oh, that's a good idea,’ or, ‘that's not such a good idea’.

“You can just use it as a big learning platform.”

Asked if competing in the 2024 Roux Scholarship final helped this time around, Harrison added: “Absolutely. Just going in and knowing a little bit of what to expect on the day makes things a little bit easier.

“But also, I think being two years older, two years longer cooking, and two years more experience has helped as well.”

Food at Gather in Totnes

Opening a restaurant aged 21

While The Roux Scholarship is run by generations from one extraordinary culinary family, the story is not the same for Harrison, whose mum works at a hospital, and his dad in telecommunications.

And he is well aware his rapid rise to becoming a restaurant owner is not commonplace within the industry.

Outlining how that came to be, Harrison explained: “When we finished college, a little group of us started doing pop-up restaurants.

“We were also working elsewhere, and then at the weekends we'd find a cafe or somewhere that was closed, and we would try opening a little pop-up restaurant.

“We ran that for a few years, really enjoyed it, and then sort of went, ‘let's try to make this work’.

“That's why one of my proudest things is still being here and open.”

He continued: “Me and Oli (Rosier) from the original team are still here.

“We went to Exeter College together, that's where we met, but we were on the Michael Caines Academy.

“Most of our other staff are from the Michael Caines Academy as well. They sent them here on the six-week work placement, then they’ve really enjoyed it and stayed.

“The team's been here for a long time.

“It's relaxed fine dining – a small neighbourhood restaurant.

“I want people to feel comfortable to come in and have nice food, nice drink, and nice service.”

Asked how he has found being a restaurant owner for the past seven years, Harrison said: “We were probably a bit young and foolish really to open it so young, but it's been a huge learning curve as well.

“We've had to adapt and move on, but we've also stuck to our style.

“I didn't want to be one of those places that keeps changing the offering and dilutes down what you actually do. I think that's been beneficial.

“The menu changed every month. For awards and consistency, that's probably maybe not the best thing to do, but we have customers who come every single month to try the new menus.

“That keeps us busy enough to tick round in the quiet times.

“We got a lot of nice local support from people coming in and keeping us busy when it's not in the summer, when we don't have the customers down on holiday.”

Food at Gather in Totnes

Benefits of winning The Roux Scholarship

As well as the accolade, winning The Roux Scholarship brings with it a long list of prizes, including £6,000, with an additional £6,000 awarded if he remains in his current role for a further 15 months.

Harrison will also now undertake a bespoke training programme tailored to his ambitions, interests and skills gaps, alongside a range of prizes and culinary experiences provided by the competition’s sponsors and partners.

Asked how much of a springboard he hopes winning the Roux Scholarship can be for both him and Gather, Harrison said: “I still need to process what the next plans are going to be.

“I need to sit down now with some of my mentors, plan out where to go and what to do with it from there.

“For me, it's fantastic. It's a huge opportunity to win it.

“The opportunities to go on to learn things from the stages, the trips and experiences you get from winning, to be able to bring it back into the restaurant.

“I can teach it to the staff, but also, we'll just see what other opportunities come up from there.

“Because I opened the restaurant quite early, I didn't really know that many people.

“It's only been recently that I’ve had people reach out and offer support. It’s been really lovely.”