The National Chef of the Year 2013 Finalists Announced

The Staff Canteen

Eight outstanding chefs are gearing up for what could be the greatest highlight of their career after making it through to the National Chef of the Year 2013 final.

The eight finalists are Andrew Wright of Restaurant 23 in Leamington Spa; Joe McCafferty, Head Chef of Flesh and Buns in Covent Garden; David Bush, Senior Chef de Partie at the House of Commons; Russell Bateman, Head Chef of Colette’s Restaurant; Alex Bond, Sous Chef at Auberge du Lac; Hayden Groves, Executive Chef at BaxterStorey; Lahiru Jayasekara, Head Chef of The Manor in Weston-on-the-Green, Bicester; and Simon Webb , Head Chef of CH&Co.

National Chef of the Year
National Chef of the Year

The line-up was chosen following four semi-final heats in London and Sheffield over the last three weeks, with 44 of the UK’s top chefs striving to make the cut.

The 2013 winner of The National Chef of the Year, who will follow in the footsteps of celebrated chefs Gordon Ramsay, David Everitt-Matthias, Mark Sargeant and Simon Hulstone, will be announced at an awards ceremony and VIP dinner following the final live showdown at The Restaurant Show on Tuesday, October 8. 

David Mulcahy, organiser of the competition and vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: “As the date now looms to take The National Chef of the Year title, competitors now have to get their heads down in preparation for October’s final.

“Ultimately, what judges will be looking for on the day is seasonality, good sourcing, and a well-balanced menu. We can’t wait to see what this year’s finalists pull out of the bag.”

As an invaluable preparation tool, each finalist will now be invited to a mentor day with workshops, a masterclass with Phil Howard and Alyn Williams, expert advice on preparing for the final and the all-important unveiling of the mystery basket of ingredients in a farmer’s market-style exhibition on September 20th.

As well as national acclaim, the chef that takes the title walks away with an impressive haul of prizes, with last year’s winner, Alyn Williams, winning cash, an exclusive study trip with dinner at a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in France, a second study trip to Norway, master classes with industry greats and specialist chef’s products and equipment.  

>>> Read more about National Chef of the Year 2013 here

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  – 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 16 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 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, 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 4th July 2013

The National Chef of the Year 2013 Finalists Announced