At this stage all entries have been judged blind with scores based on online submissions including a description of dishes, cooking methods and photographs of chef's completed menus.
The 40 chefs will go on to cook in heats in Sheffield on 12 June and at Le Cordon Bleu London on 19 June, with judges including Gary Jones, executive head chef at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Phil Howard and Alyn Williams.
Just ten chefs will make it through to the final at The Restaurant Show in London on 2 October.
The winner of each heat will be automatically seeded a place, while the final six chefs will be chosen based on the highest scores across all four heats.
“It is encouraging to see many new faces entering this year and with a diverse selection of chefs from all sectors we are in for a great series of semi-finals,” says David Mulcahy, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs.
Last year's NCOTY winner was Luke Selby, who is now chef at the Above restaurant at Ollie Dabbous' Hide in London.
Gordon Ramsay, Simon Hulstone and Russell Bateman have all taken the title in the past.
The Sheffield semi-final will take place on the morning of 12 June will include:
Heat 1
- Aled Williams, head of development and innovation, TRUEfoods
- Daniel McGeorge, head chef, Rothay Manor Hotel
- David Neilson, senior chef de partie, Number One at the Balmoral
- Derek Johnstone, head chef, Borthwick Castle
- Josh Adams, development chef, Sousvide Tools
- Kacper Walor, sous chef, Ladhar Leisure/ Pleased To Meet You
- Martin Frickel, senior sous chef, The Forestside
- Matt Worswick, head chef, Matt Worswick at The Latymer
- Matthew Ramsdale, sous chef, The Chester Grosvenor
- Zoltan Szabo, executive chef, Blythswood Square Hotel Glasgow
Three heats will be completed at Le Cordon Bleu in London on 19 June and these will include:
Heat 2
- Adam Thomason, executive chef, Restaurant Associates at Deloitte
- Andonis Paraskeva, executive head chef, Lusso Catering CH&Co
- George Blog, head chef, Gravetye Manor
- James Cousins , senior sous chef, Restaurant Associates at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
- Kuba Winkowski, head chef, The Feathered Nest Inn
- Marcin Pomierny, head chef, The Maids Head Hotel
- Nick Smith, head chef, Harbour&Jones / Ashurst
- Sam Bowser, head chef, Dormy House
- Sarah-Jasmina Moussabih, head chef, Nordic Catering
- Virginia Ramiro Mendez, sous chef, Vacherin/Royal Bank of Canada
Heat 3
- Aaron Ashmore, head chef, Clarette - Chateaux Margaux
- Daniel Jones, head chef, JT at 3 Main Street, Fishguard
- Glenn Evans, head of food, Las Iguanas
- Jamie Park, head chef, The Frog E1
- Joseph Fallowfield, sous chef, The Elephant
- Jozef Rogulski, executive head chef, The Stafford Hotel London
- Luciano Lucioli, head chef, Private Chef
- Paul O'Neill, head chef, Cliveden House Hotel
- Stefan Sewell, defence chef instructor, CSCAT
- Thomas Westerland, head chef, Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa
Heat 4
- Daniel Tilinger, sous chef, Social Wine and Tapas
- David Davey-Smith, chef instructor, Royal Air Force
- Fraser Bruce, head chef, The Tate Gallery St Ives
- Garreth Wilson, head chef, Titanic Belfast
- Liam Fauchard-Newman, senior sous chef, Rhubarb / Fenchurch
- Martin Kilbey, executive head chef, Sodexo
- Nat Tallents, executive chef, Lewinnick Lodge & The Plume of Feathers
- Sam Astley-Dean, sous chef, Elystan street
- Stefano Leone, executive head chef, D&D London / Royal Exchange Grand Cafe & Sauterelle
- Terry O'Riordan, executive chef, Compass group UK & Ireland