The chefs, who work in all areas of the industry - from contract catering and pubs to hotels and fine-dining restaurants, will now compete in heats at Sheffield College on 11 June or Le Cordon Bleu cookery school in London on 24 June.
Top scoring chefs from both heats will then go through to compete in the National Chef of the Year final at The Restaurant Show on Tuesday 6 October at Olympia, London. This year, the brief is to create an innovative menu for four people, focusing on technical skills, seasonality and sustainably sourced ingredients.
David Mulcahy, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: “National Chef of the Year is arguably the toughest culinary challenge in the UK’s competition calendar and the semi-finalists are now facing up to what will be a demanding but ultimately a hugely rewarding experience. Over the past 45 years, we have seen some fantastic chefs make a name for themselves through this competition and I look forward to witnessing this year’s talent.”
The National Chef of the Year 2016 semi-finalists are:
- Lee Bird, Head Chef, Gilpin Hotel and Lake House
- Ian Boden, Independent Development Chef, Flourish Food Solutions
- James Buckley, Executive Chef, Excel London, Levy Restaurants UK
- David Burgum, Head Chef, BaxterStorey
- Jake Burton Stewart, Senior Chef de Partie, BaxterStorey
- David Bush, Sous Chef, The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
- Martin Carabott, Sous Chef, The Royal Automobile Club
- Elisha Carter, Head Chef, Café Royal Hotel
- Jamie Coleman, Senior Sous Chef, Saunton Sands
- Paul Cunliffe, Chef Patron, The Dunsforth Public House & Dining
- David Davey-Smith, Chef Instructor, RAF
- Andrew Ditchfield, Pastry Chef, House of Commons
- Nick Evans, Head Chef, Middlethorpe Hall Hotel
- Mark Forman, Executive Head Chef, Goodwood Hotel
- Paul Foster, Head Chef, Mallory Court
- Michelle Fourie, Senior Sous Chef, Ember Yard Tavern
- Mark Froydenlund, Head Chef, Restaurant Marcus
- Adam Handling, Head Chef, Restaurant Adam Handling
- Anna Haugh, Head Chef, London House
- Ollie Hay, Senior Sous Chef, Clifford Chance, Restaurant Associates
- James Holah, Head Chef, Sonny’s Kitchen
- Stephen Humphries, Head Chef, The New Angel Notting Hill
- Larry Jayasekara, Sous Chef, Gordon Ramsay Group
- Mark Kempson, Head Chef, Kitchen W8
- Luciano Lucioli, Head Chef, Marks & Spencers Headquarters (Lusso - CH&Co)
- Joe McCafferty, Head Chef, Bone Daddies Ltd
- Lawrence McCarthy, Sous Chef, The Ledbury Restaurant
- Roger Olsson, Executive Sous Chef, The Dorchester Hotel
- Jack O’Sullivan, Sous Chef, The Angel Inn at Hetton
- Peter Pickering, Sous Chef, Galvin La Chapelle
- Sauarbh Prabhakar, Executive Sous Chef, Hilton Hotels
- Gabor Pusztaidoc, Head Chef, The Pack Horse Inn, Ellingham
- Luke Smith, Head Chef, Lusso CH&Co
- Zoltan Szabo, Senior Head Chef, Cameron House on Loch Lomond
- Marcin Szelag, Senior Sous Chef, Rocksalt Restaurant
- Adam Thomason, Head Chef, Restaurant Associates
- Simon Webb, Head Chef, Restaurant Associates
- Nick Whatmough, Head Chef, Merrill Lynch
- Andy Wright, Sous Chef, Restaurant 23
- Neil Yule, Head Chef, Sodexo