Young British Foodie Awards vote Douglas McMaster Best Irreverent Chef

29-May-2012 - Last updated on 27-Apr-2021 at 12:44 GMT

Nuno Mendes, one of the judges of the Best Irreverent Chef category with the title's winner Douglas McMaster

A new awards scheme designed to celebrate innovation and forward-thinking within the food and drink world has voted former St John chef Douglas McMaster Best Irreverent Chef.

The inaugural Young British Foodie (YBFs) awards, which saw a host of food and drink producers, chefs, bakers and street food operators come together at Park Village Studios in north London last night, saw nine individuals pick up awards in all.

McMaster, who was Young BBC Chef of the Year in 2009, was picked by Nuno Mendes, food critic Marina O'Loughlin and supper club pioneer Ms Marmite Lover for the top chef award for his work running his Vintage Dirt sustainable dining pop-ups.

Geoff Robinson, bar manager at Happiness Forgets was named The Rising Star of Mixology while pizza restaurant Franco Manca co-founder Bridget Hugo was declared New Best Alchemist of the Oven.

New art

More than 600 entries were received across seven categories for the inaugural awards scheme, which founders Chloe Scott-Moncrieff, Amy Thorne and Lily Jones created in the hope of making food and drink the new art.

Thorne, of Taste PR said: ‘We are proud and delighted to announce winners of such exceptional calibre who are all top of their game: the bravest, boldest and most exciting movers and shakers in the culinary world. The entries we received were ground-breaking and we thank everyone for their support in our debut awards."

Judges, who included Mendes, mixologist Tony Conigliaro and Pitt Cue Co chef and co-founder Tom Adams whittled down entries to a shortlist of up to four before making their final decisions.

Both shortlisted winners and some of those who just missed the shortlist were invited to create dishes for the event which included Hugo's sourdough donuts with sponsor Movenpick Ice Cream's Fior di Latte, Fred Smith's crispy beef potato cake with bavette, marrow and sorrel and The Dip Society's dips.

Drinks were mixed by Conigliaro and his team at 69 Colebrooke Row with cocktails including a blend of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee with Chase Vodka and Chase Elderflower liqueur.

The shortlisted finalists and winners were:

Rising Star of Mixology: