After four intensive heats, the Craft Guild of Chefs has today named the ten chefs who will battle for the National Chef of the Year 2018 title at The Restaurant Show in October.
The names have been revealed after four tough heats involving 41 chef competitors and 20 judges. Young National Chef of the Year 2013 winner and sous chef at L’Enclume, Ben Champkin was announced as the first chef to make the NCOTY finals when he won the first heat in Sheffield.
Chair of judges for NCOTY and executive head chef at Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Gary Jones said: “Chefs should not underestimate what they have all achieved here today. This is the very best cooking competition in the UK and to be selected to be part of the semi-final is an honour. The energy, commitment and quality has been impressive from all our competitors and those that have reached the final really are at the top of their game. One thing we have worked hard to push as a competition is avoiding wastage and it’s something we’ve noticed that the chefs have focused on both at the paper entry stage and semi-finals. I would urge those that did not get through to use the experience as a positive and come back even stronger next year.”
The Young National Chef of the Year 2018 finalists were also revealed:
Heat winners
Danny Young from Northcote
Henry Wadsworth from Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons
Highest scoring from both heats
Arthur Bridgeman Quin from The Punchbowl Inn
Daniela Tucci from The Art School Restaurant
Thomas Reeves from L’Enclume
Alex Walker from 21 Hospitality Group
Jacob Gosselin from Highlands Academy of Culinary Arts
Amber Francis, The Ritz, Highest Achiever in the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Graduate Awards
Frances Attwood from Simpsons Restaurant who won the British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year
**The final place will be the winner of the Academy of Culinary Arts Awards of Excellence which will be announced in July.
The ten National Chef of the Year 2018 finalists are:
Ben Champkin, sous chef at L’Enclume
David Davey-Smith, chef, from Royal Air Force Worthy Down
Karl O’Dell, senior sous chef from Petrus – Gordon Ramsay
Thomas Westerland, sous chef from Lucknam Park
Dean Westcar, head chef at Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park
Luke Selby, head chef at Dabbous
Simon Webb, head chef at Restaurant Associates
Kuba Winkowski, head chef at The Feathered Nest Inn
Will Holland, head chef at Coast Restaurant
Adam Thomason, head chef at Restaurant Associates – Deloitte
David Mulcahy, Vice President of the Craft Guild of Chefs and organiser of the competition added: “What has been interesting this year is hearing the stories behind the menu creation, ingredient sourcing and inspiration for the dishes.
"The relationship between the chefs and what and why they produced each dish has really stood out for me this year. For example, we’ve noticed the difference in dishes coming from different areas of the country showing the importance of sourcing and seasonality. There has been so much positivity around this year’s brief of vegetarian starter, duck and cherry main course and classic tart and the chefs have truly risen to this challenge.”
As well as competing in The National Chef of the Year final, the chefs will also attend a Mentor Day on Tuesday, 5th September where they will be presented with a mystery basket of ingredients to be used in the final.
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