Le Manoir's Henry Wadsworth wins AAE Young Chef of the Year
It is the third year in a row that Le Manoir has won the title, which is given to the chef who scores the highest in a series of practical tasks set by judges including Jason Atherton (The Social Company), Adam Byatt (Trinity), and John Williams (The Ritz).
Elena Bockshecker from Harrods was named 2017 Young Pastry Chef of the Year, while Gleneagles’ Lewis Hunter took the title of best Young Waiter.
The trio's awards, which include work experience at Heston Blumenthal’s three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant, were presented at a ceremony at Rosewood London on 14 July.
The AAE, which was launched in 1983, takes the form of an exam rather than a competition and is designed to recognise the skills of young hospitality talent.
A further 20 candidates from the kitchen, pastry and service sections also received the AAE after scoring over 70% in their exams.
“I hope that through the AAE we can motivate and inspire the industry’s young chefs, pastry chefs and waiters to undertake a career of training first themselves, and then others; and to look outside the workplace to wider industry and opportunities,” says Williams.
This year’s AAE winners in full:
KITCHEN:
Olivia Catherine Burt, Fera at Claridge's
Samuel King, The Ritz London
Tom Waters, Bonhams Restaurant
Fergus Wilford, Andre Garrett at Cliveden
Young Chef of the Year: Henry Wadsworth, Le Manor aux Quat’Saisons
PASTRY:
Harry Barber, Hakkasan
Alan Holloway, Claridge's
Mathilde Pilaete, Alfred Dunhill
Young Pastry Chef of the Year: Elena Bockshecker, Harrods
SERVICE:
Lauren Chappell, Cromlix Hotel
James Dainton, André Garrett at Cliveden
Piers Gibson-Birch, Luton Hoo Hotel
Karen Gruet, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
Ross Hunter, The Gleneagles Hotel
Stefanie Obermayer, The Gleneagles Hotel
Remi Orero, The Greenhouse
Charlotte Poynton, The Three Chimneys
Giuseppe Scudiero, The Ritz London
Antonella Sinisgallo, Roux at the Landau
Alexander Sumerauer, The Ritz London
Gabriele Tarantola, The Ritz London
Thomas Wickens, The Berkeley Hotel
Young Waiter of the Year: Lewis Hunter, The Gleneagles Hotel
