Fab 40 march on in National Chef battle
The countdown to National Chef of the Year has kicked off with the announcement of 33 semifinalists who have made it through the paper judging stage and now progress to a series of live cook-offs to be staged at the Restaurant Show in September.
They join seven chefs who have pre-qualified for the practical stage of the biennially awarded title, sponsored by Knorr, by winning affiliated competitions in the British Isles.
The paper judging round required entrants to devise a three-course meal for four based around central ingredients at each level - scallops (starter), duck (main) and bananas (dessert).
A total of four semifinals will be staged and the winner of each of these, along with the six top-scoring runners-up, will go through to the final, which will be staged on 18 September at the Restaurant Show.
National Chef of the Year semifinalists
Wayne Asson, the Belfry, Wishaw
Neil Atkins, Orier restaurant, Sutton Coldfield
Kenny Atkinson, Cotswold House, Chipping Camden
David Auchie, South Lanarkshire College, East Kilbride
Darren Benham, King's Head, Lymington
Richard Bowden, Compass Chef of the Year (pre-qualified finalist)
Paul Brown, Channel Islands Chef of the Year (pre-qualified finalist)
Danny Burke, Welsh National Chef of the Year 2001 (pre-qualified finalist)
Stephen Cane, Le Méridien Hotel Russell, London
Tracey Carr, TUCO Chef of the Year (pre-qualified finalist)
Alan Dewar, Scottish Equitable, Edinburgh
Brian Fantoni, Claridge's, London
Simon Hulstone, East Midlands Chef of the Year (pre-qualified finalist)
Andrew Jones, Claridge's, London
Imthiaz Kader, Hilton London Heathrow Airport
James Kirby, Cotto, London
Steve Love, Loves restaurant, Royal Leamington Spa
Raymond McArdle, Irish Chef of the Year (pre-qualified finalist)
Seamus McNeill, Hilton Hotel Heathrow Airport, London
Shaun Naen, Swan hotel, Bibury
Robert Oberhoffer, Dove restaurant, Harleston CHK SP
Yoram Odentz, Universal Sodexho Enterprise Oil, Aberdeen
Lee Parsons, Woodhall hotel, Linton
Robert Ramsay, Altamount House, Blairgowrie
Mark Richmond, Sarah Browridge Whole Country Foods, Tadcaster
Mark Sargeant, Gordon Ramsay's at Claridge's, London
Gajras Sharma, Parade Restaurant, London CHK
Dale Smyth, Clarence House Country Hotel, Dalton-in-Furness
Cyril Strub, Hilton St Anne's Manor House hotel, Wokingham
Robert Szewczck, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor
Luke Tipping, Simpson's, Kenilworth
Frederick Tobin, Harrod's, London
Nick Vadis, British Airways Eurest, London
Calum Watson, Ditto, London
Doug Windson, Welsh National Chef of the Year 2002 (pre-qualified finalist)
Paul Whitecross, Carnoustie hotel, Angus
Andy Whitson, Brooklands College, Weybridge
John Williamson, Glasgow Hilton International, Glasgow
Malcolm Wood, Close Brothers, London
Justin Woods, the Lanesborough hotel, London