The British Culinary Federation has named the 19 semi-finalists for the Chef of the Year 2018 competition.
The semi-finals will take place at the University College Birmingham on 26 March, where the finalists will be selected. Those that are shortlisted will be invited to a butchery masterclass at Aubrey Allen where the meat element for the final will be announced.
The semi-finalists taking part include:
Jamie Coleman, Masons Arms, Knowstone, Devon
Ian Musgrove, The Ritz, London
Ashley Sargent, Clare College, Cambridge
Raymond Steplin, House of Commons, London
Edward Marsh, The Manor House, Castle Coombe, Chippenham
Maria Paszkowska, Monachyle Mhor Hotel, Scotland
Matthew Nicholls, Cheal’s of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire
Leonidas Kattou, Simpson’s Restaurant, Edgbaston, Birmingham
Josh Donachie, The Frog Restaurant, Spitalfields, London
Richard Dutton, University College Birmingham
Mark Stinchcombe, Eckington Manor, Worcestershire
Joanne Kempster, Colette’s at The Grove Hotel, Hertfordshire
Andrew Cole, Bingham Hotel, Richmond-upon-Thames
James Buckley, 02, Compass Group UK & Ireland
Martyn Rigby, Royal Garden Hotel, London
Tony Bukhsh, Edinburgh Business School, Stirling
Jason Thacker, North Warwickshire and Hinckley College
Greg Newman, The Kings Hotel, Chipping Campden
Andy Wright, Five Pub, Southam, Warwickshire
The semi-finalists will be judged by an esteemed judging panel which will include: Ashley Palmer-Watts, Dinner at Heston Blumenthal; Raymond Blanc, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons; Sat Bains, Restaurant Sat Bains; Pierre Koffmann; Brian Turner and Roger Narbett.
The final and an awards dinner will be held at University College Birmingham on 23 April 2018.
