James Devine: Top five tips on how to win National Chef of the Year

The Staff Canteen

James Devine is currently working as a chef at Noble Restaurant in County Down, Belfast, after winning the title of National Chef of the Year 2017.

James has previously worked as a kitchen porter in a local and head chef at the Black Cat Restaurant and Deli in Dungannon. Since winning National Chef of the Year, the former sous chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant, Deanes EIPIC, is set to open a second restaurant with the owners of Noble Restaurant, in which he’ll be a partner.

James Devine's top five tips on how to win National Chef of the Year 2018

1 - Devise a menu that you are comfortable with. It's a very strange, unknown environment

and it's vital that you know your menu inside out to help deal with any circumstances which may go against you.

2 - Remain calm. Even when things go wrong, and things will go wrong (with 12 minutes to go I had to cook and serve my dessert, it required 12 minutes cooking time, and are oven stopped working) take a deep breath and ask yourself what would you do in a restaurant/kitchen setting.

3 - Cook for yourself, not the judges. Imagine it's a pop up restaurant at the Olympia and you're putting on a menu for customers, not judges. Provide a menu based on flavour, not technical skill or showmanship.

4 - Drink water, before, during and after!

5 - Last and definitely most important, make sure and have a pre-game dump! Vital!

By Grace Handley

Built by Chefs. Powered by You.

For 17 years, The Staff Canteen has been the meeting place for chefs and hospitality professionals—your stories, your skills, your space.

Every recipe, every video, every news update exists because this community makes it possible.

We’ll never hide content behind a paywall, but we need your help to keep it free.

If The Staff Canteen has inspired you, informed you, or simply made you smile, chip in £3—less than a coffee—to keep this space thriving.

Together, we keep the industry connected. Together, we move forward.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 15th September 2017

James Devine: Top five tips on how to win National Chef of the Year