Hrishikesh Desai: Top five tips on how to win National Chef of the Year

The Staff Canteen

Hrishikesh Desai is executive chef at the multi-award winning Gilpin Hotel & Lake House in Windermere. 

Hrishikesh was crowned National Chef of the Year 2010 and was awarded his first star in the Michelin Guide UK 2017.

The highly recognised Gilpin Hotel & Lake House holds three rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide and the only five-star rating in the Lake District.

Hrishikesh’s top five tips on how to win National Chef of the Year 2018

1- Practice, criticise and re-practice.

2 - Allocate one full day for packing ingredients, equipment, pots and pans and check twice before setting off to the competition.

3 - Have your plan ready, work fast and forget what is happening around you.

4 - Keep the work station clean no matter even if you are against time.

5 - Taste, taste and taste and once happy then re-taste. Serve your dish with pride and don't worry about the result.

Hrishikesh added: “Enjoy the moment, enjoy the pressure and enjoy the competition. This is a memory which is going to make you mature, confident and a good ambassador for British Hospitality industry.”

By Grace Handley

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 14th September 2017

Hrishikesh Desai: Top five tips on how to win National Chef of the Year