Rising stars set to be judged by some of hospitality’s biggest names at Young National Chef of the Year
When the finalists step into the kitchens at Le Cordon Bleu London next week for the Young National Chef of the Year final, they won’t just be competing for one of the most prestigious titles available to young chefs.
The judging panel for this year’s competition brings together an exceptional mix of Michelin-starred chef-patrons, former competition winners, pastry specialists and respected industry leaders.
An amazing panel of judges
Leading the panel is Chair of Judges Tom Shepherd, chef patron of Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, whose own career journey serves as inspiration for many young chefs entering the profession. Joining him is fellow former National Chef of the Year winner Ben Murphy, head chef of 74 Charlotte Street by Ben Murphy, alongside Danny Young, head chef at The Torridon and the current National Chef of the Year.
The panel also includes Simon Hulstone, chef proprietor of The Elephant Restaurant and former National Chef of the Year winner; James Golding, chef director and co-owner of Nomadic Sporadic; Paul Askew, chef patron of The Art School; Lisa Goodwin-Allen, chef patron-director of Northcote; Jean Delport, executive chef at Interlude; and Kenny Atkinson, chef patron of House of Tides and Solstice.
Bringing pastry expertise
Bringing further expertise to the competition are Eric Bediat, head cuisine chef at Le Cordon Bleu London, along with some of the most respected names in pastry including Michael Kwan, executive pastry chef at ONSU; Martin Chiffers, international executive pastry chef consultant; Mark Perkins, executive pastry chef at Rosewood London; and international pastry consultant Benoit Blin.
Supporting sustainability
The panel is completed by Paul Mannering, national hospitality and culinary lead at HIT Training, whose continued support for the development of future talent makes him a familiar figure within the industry. He will be judging the HIT Training Sustainability Award, keeping a close eye on the chefs throughout the cook-off.
Our future talent
David Mulcahy, competition director and vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: “Young National Chef of the Year is all about helping talented chefs develop and reach their potential. The judges give up their own time to support these young professionals, sharing their expertise and engaging so positively throughout the competition. To have a panel of this calibre involved is an incredible opportunity for the finalists and one of the many reasons this competition continues to play such an important role in developing the next generation of culinary talent.”
