Electrolux announces chef academy finalists

Seven ambitious young chefs have been selected to go through to the Electrolux Chef Academy 2013 final for the opportunity to win the ultimate work experience placement in three Michelin-starred restaurants.

The final seven finalists are: Viktoria Bernataviciute, Northampton College; Elizabeth Allen, Westminster College; Jonah Kellar, City College Plymouth; Garry Dick, Lewisham College; Christian Paul Abbott, City of Bristol; Damon Jones, Fareham College and Giuseppe Giorgio Finocchio, Westminster Kingsway College.

The finalists will now go on to compete in the final at Westminster Kingsway College in July with the hope of winning the ultimate 12-month work experience opportunity working alongside Tom Kitchin at the Kitchin in Edinburgh, Simon Hulstone at The Elephant in Torquay and Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias in Casamia in Bristol.

Michelin-star chef Nigel Haworth, Martin Bates, CEO of the Craft Guild of Chefs and Electrolux Professional's Andy Blakemore were all given the difficult task of judging the young chefs, led by seasoned competition chef, Simon Hulstone.

Vanessa Holloway, Electrolux trade marketing manager for Electrolux, said: "The standard of the 15 chefs we had in the Electrolux Training Academy was incredibly high and the talent on show was so impressive that instead of six, the judges took the decision to take seven through to the final."

Hulstone added: "What we were looking for was the passion to succeed. There's already great talent and skills present from the chefs, but as well as looking for great cooks, it was about selecting people that have the ability to work well in a high pressured kitchen".

Three winners will be chosen for the work experience opportunity and invited to attend Taste of London to cook on stage in front of a live audience. The winners' colleges will receive a state of the art combi-steam oven to help train their future culinary stars.