It’s always a hotly anticipated announcement for ambitious chefs as they wait to see who the new Chairs of Judges for National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year will be. The Guild traditionally refreshes its judges every two years to ensure new leaders are brought in to inject different ideas and energy into the brief and experience.
The new Chairs were unveiled live on the Craft Guild of Chefs Instagram with Mark Birchall, chef patron at Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms taking the helm of the National Chef of the Year and Tom Shepherd, owner of Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, based in Staffordshire, chairing Young National Chef of the Year.
New for 2026, Cherish Finden will oversee the dessert judging of both competitions, supporting Mark and Tom with her extensive knowledge of pastry and judging culinary competitions at the highest level having worked on Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals since 2016.
The trio will work closely with the competition director, David Mulcahy to drive these competitions forward and maintain the strong heritage the Craft Guild of Chefs has built up over the last five decades.
David Mulcahy, competition director and Vice-President of the Craft Guild of Chefs said: “I’ve been asked countless times who the new Chairs would be, so it’s exciting to finally reveal these outstanding names. We are already working hard to create an enticing brief that will allow competitors to show us their own style and skill whilst bringing in elements Mark and Tom are truly passionate about. Matt Abé and Russell Bateman have done an incredible job for us over the last two years, bringing their own personal touches to the competition and so I want to take this opportunity to thank them both again for giving up so much of their own time to inspire others.”
Two live semi-finals will also be held in the summer in London and Sheffield. This is the first time this stage has been competed as a cook-off since before the pandemic, but the Guild was keen to bring back what has always been a popular element of the competition.
Entries for National Chef of the Year open on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, with an eight-week window for competitors to design their menus. Mark’s full brief will be published on the National Chef of the Year website. Chefs are encouraged to register early and review the criteria thoroughly.
Speaking about this new role, Mark Birchall commented: “To be the next Chair of judges for National Chef of the Year is really humbling. I’m passionate about inspiring first-time entrants and encouraging previous competitors to return and hopefully my experience of judging and the work I’ve done in my own restaurants, and the wider industry will help inspire chefs to get involved. Competitions like this are so important for progression, increasing confidence and helping chefs to grow within their team so I’d recommend it to any ambitious chef looking for a challenge in 2026.”
Tom Shepherd added: “Chairing Young National Chef of the Year is a true honour. Early in my career, I was fortunate to work with some of the UK’s most respected chefs and these experiences shaped my approach to cookery. That’s why I recognise the importance of nurturing and celebrating young talent. Giving back to the industry through such a prestigious competition is something I’m really looking forward to working on especially alongside Mark and Cherish who I know will also have a big impact on these events.”
Young National Chef of the Year will continue to be via invitation for the semi-final stage which will also be a cook-off to find this year’s finalists.
Cherish Finden, international pastry consultant, told us: “I think it’s fantastic that the Guild is bringing me in to lead the pastry judging for both competitions. Having a head judge, who is solely focused on desserts, celebrates the importance of pastry skills in this competition. Alongside other industry experts, we’ll be on the hunt for dishes that truly nail the brief, combining technical precision with creativity and exceptional flavour.”
For more details and to register in National Chef of the Year next month visit www.nationalchefoftheyear.co.uk
