Sangster takes title at the fifth attempt

Bruce Sangster, executive chef at Lehman Brothers in London, became the 2000 Garde d'Or National Chef of the Year at Hotelympia last week.

Second place went to Michael Kitts, chef-director of Butlers Wharf Chef School, London, while Steve Love, acting sous chef at Nailcote Hall hotel in Warwickshire, was third.

Sangster, who was competing for the fifth time, said: "I have won some valuable prizes over the years, and particular titles - such as Scottish Chef of the Year and Egon Ronay British Lamb Chef - are very special to me, but this is the competition that people want to do. This is the best."

Sangster was a judge in the 1998 competition and his victory this year follows industry debate about whether previous judges should be allowed to enter as competitors (see Caterer, Letters, 27 January, page 18 and 3 February, page 20).

Kevin Viner, the 1998 National Chef of the Year and chairman of this year's judging panel, said: "Once you put yourself in the public eye you have to accept that you will get criticism, good or bad. It's part of the duty of looking after the title. But judging is not as complicated as people think - it's whoever produces the goods on the day. Bruce won it on his craft skills and for no other reason. He was consistent - the others had little dips in their dishes."

Sangster received £6,000, a Royal Doulton trophy plate and the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year gold medal, while Kitts and Love received £1,500 and £500 respectively.

by Joanna Wood