Kitchen and Pastry Graduate Awards semi-finalists announced

Young chefs from Petrus, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Hotel Cafe Royal are among those heading to the Craft Guild of Chefs Kitchen and Pastry Graduate Awards semi-finals next month.

A record-breaking 36 chefs will take part in heats at University of West London and Sheffield College on 15 June.

Candidates will have to demonstrate their culinary skills in front of examiners including former National Chef of the Year Russel Bateman.

The awards, founded by Royal Garden Hotel executive head chef Steve Munkley, give chefs under 23 years old a chance to test their skills.

“This is only the second year of the Pastry Graduate Award and I’m delighted that we doubled the number of entries this year,” says Yolande Stanley, chair of pastry examiners.

“It recognises the importance of putting pastry in the spotlight and gives these young chefs a platform to not only develop their skills but also get their names out into the wider industry.”

The chefs competing in each semi-final are as follows:

University of West London:

Robert Charlesworth, Grove Hotel Stables Restaurant

Ioannis Mexis, Elystan Street

Bronwen Jenkins, The Royal Garden Hotel

Dominic Williamson, Restaurant 56

Vitor Cardosoestrades, Gather and Gather

Daryl Fardon, Colletes

Jessica Deakin, The Compass Group

Joe Payne, Andre Garrett Restaurant Cliveden House

Rory Seaman, Wiltons

Gilles Varone, Petrus Restaurant

Kristina, The Bingham Hotel

Raymond Steplin, House of Commons

Jordon Powell, Alyn Williams at the Westbury

Jake Pole, South Sands Hotel

Sheffield:

Alan Howard, Dobson and Parnell

Jordan Clark, Oban Manor House

Rory Flood, The Swan

Alexander Knowles, Hope and Anchor

Sian Dixon, Browns Lane

Chor Fai Shek, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

Andrew Evans, Leasowe Castle

Vince Vermeulen, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

William Keeble, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

Michael Morrey, The Cradock Arms

Edward William Hardy Carroll, The Compass Group

Adam Phillips, Colette’s at The Grove Hotel

Lewis Kuciers, The Black Bull, Blidworth

Pastry University of West London:

Sophia Sotiriou, Hotel Cafe Royal

Amy Rose Plumb, Titchfield Manor Hotel

Danielle Washington, Lords Cricket Ground

Megan Roberts, Harvey Nichols Birmingham

Louis Hall, Corinthia Hotel London

Leandra Molina Beato, Simpsons Restaurant

Lorenzo Fleurie, London Hilton on Park Lane

Zaneta Krol, Haworths Restaurant at Regency Hotel

Hannah Catley, Chiltern Firehouse