National Chef of the Year 2019 finalists named

The Craft Guild of Chefs has named the ten finalists set to compete for the title of National Chef of the Year 2019.

The first four places were awarded to the winners of the semi-final heats, held at Sheffield College and Le Cordon Bleu.

  • Derek Johnstone, head chef, Borthwick Castle
  • George Blogg, head chef, Gravetye Manor
  • Glenn Evans, head of food, Las Iguanas
  • Liam Fauchard-Newman, senior sous chef, Rhubarb/Fenchurch

Joining them in the final at The Restaurant Show on 2 October are the six chefs who received the next highest scores across all four heats.

  • Martin Frickel, senior sous chef, The Forestside
  • David Neilson, senior chef de partie, Number One at the Balmoral
  • Nick Smith, head chef, Harbour & Jones Ashurst
  • Kuba Winkowksi, head chef, The Feathered Nest Inn
  • Stefan Sewell, defence chef instructor, Combined Services Culinary Arts Team (CSCAT)
  • Thomas Westerland, head chef, Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa

All ten competitors will take part in a Mentor Day on 11 September where the mystery basket of ingredients they must use in the final will be revealed.

The final will be judged by chefs including Tom Kerridge, Clare Smyth, Philip Howard, Ollie Dabbous and Mark Flanagan.

The Craft Guild has also named nine of the junior chefs who will compete in the Young National Chef of the Year 2019 final.

These include:

  • Jamie Mackinnon, The Seafood Restaurant in St Andrews
  • Henry Wadswoth, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
  • Jonathan Ferguson, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
  • Thomas Reeves, L’Enclume
  • Luke Turner, L’Enclume
  • Arron Tye, Grosvenor Pulford,
  • Aaron Middleton, The Above
  • Gilles Varone, Petrus
  • Supatthra Viriphan, Chewton Glen

The final place will be awarded to the winner of the Academy of Culinary Arts Awards of Excellence, announced in July.