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

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

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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 20^th.

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

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