Craft Guild announces National Chef of the Year semi-finalists
The Craft Guild of Chefs has announced the semi-finalists of its National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) competition.
It has revealed the 40 hopefuls that will go through to compete in heats at Sheffield College on 14 June and at Le Cordon Bleu in London on 22 June. They will be required to produce a lunch menu consisting of a risotto starter, a main course using a whole chicken, and a choux pastry dessert.
Ten chefs will then go through to the final at the Restaurant Show on 4 October at London Olympia.
David Mulcahy, vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs and organiser of the National Chef of the Year competition, said: "Following the paper entry stage all judges agreed that the standard this year has improved on recent years, and I have no doubt that we are in for a tough competition."
Chair of judges Clare Smyth MBE added: "Having discussed the entries and menus at length with my fellow judges I know it is going to be a very tough, close and exciting semi-final. On a personal note, I'm delighted to see five female chefs make the top 40 which is the highest we've ever had and is something as a committee we've really encouraged for the last few years. I hope the chefs will grab this opportunity with both hands and ensure they are ready for it!"
The 40 semi-finalist chefs
Andy Wright, Restaurant 23
Robert Cox, Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
Liam McKenna, Trump International
James Devine, Deanes Eipic
Daniel Parker, House of Tides
Jack Bradley, Hipping Hall
Dion Wyn Jones, Lion and pheasant townhouse hotel
Rohan Wadke, Forth Valley College
Paul Foster, Salt
Matthew John, The Waggon Inn
Jake Jones, The Grand Hotel and Spa
Martin Carabott, The Royal Automobile Club
Thomas Westerland, Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa
Ollie Hay, Restaurant Associates
Diane Camp, Reynolds
Gavin Edney, Cliveden house
Nicholas Smith, Vacherin
Stephanie Coupland, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
Andrew Mckee, Lough Erne Resort
Kamil Wierzbowski, Petrus Restaurant, Gordon Ramsay
Robert Taylor, Compasses Inn
Jahdre Hayward, Haywards Restaurant
Sally Abe, Great British Chefs
Adam Handling, Adam Handling Restaurant Group
John Price, Nomura - Restaurant Associates
Adam Thomason, Restaurant Associates
Simon McKenzie, The Old Government House Hotel and Spa
Cormac McCreary, The Ritz
Aidan McGee, The Truscott arms
James Buckley, Levy Restaurants @Excel london
Sarah-Jasmina Moussabih, 10 Feet Tall
Luciano Lucioli, Lusso - CH&Co
Ben Murphy, The Woodford
Simon Webb, Restaurant Associates
Grzegorz Olejarka, Grain Store Cafe and Bar
Philip Harrison, Anglesea Arms
Jenny Warner, The Thomas Cubitt
Neil Yule, Sodexo
Andrew Birch, Fishmore Hall Hotel
Bobby Retnakumar Geetha, Hilton Hotels UK
Larry Jayasekara named National Chef of the Year 2016 >>Latest video from The Caterer
