Early September is always marked in our diaries for the Mentor Day with National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) and Young National Chef of The Year (YNCOTY) with Craft Guild of Chefs.
This year the location was at Waitrose HQ in Bracknell, Berkshire, at the Waitrose Food Innovation Studio. An early start with that great feeling of excitement and anticipation of the day ahead for all the finalists. We were a camera crew of two to capture the day from demonstrations by chefs and judges with opportunity for discussion, also an opportunity for the sponsors to introduce their brands/services. The important element is always the portraits which this year were carried out within a kitchen setting. In addition to this the group portrait of the NCOTY finalists and judges and the YNCOTY finalists and judges were taken.
The final will be held at the University of West London, 10th October with a Celebration Evening at Leicester Square’s Hippodrome.
Read more here – Craft Guild of Chefs NCOTY
Read more here – Craft Guild of Chefs YNCOTY
The NCOTY finalists are:
- Alex Angelogiannis, The Glenturret Restaurant by Lalique
- Ben Boeynaems, The Beaumont Hotel
- Charlotte Vincent, The Candlelight Inn
- Cleverson Cordeiro, Frog by Adam Handling
- Grahame Wickham, Guards Polo Club
- Jethro Lawrence, Apetito UK
- Karl O’Dell, CORD Restaurant by Le Cordon Bleu
- Mark McCabe, The Ethicurean
- Matthew Smith, Inver restaurant
- Paul Leonard, The Forest Side
- Ruth Hansom Rigby, Swinton Estate
- Simon Webb, BaxterStorey
The YNCOTY finalists are:
- Benjamin Mabley, senior chef de partie, Hartwell House Hotel & Spa
- Georgia Abernethy, pastry chef, Posh Nosh Ireland
- Jonny Smith, junior sous chef, Gravetye Manor
- Joshua Singer, senior chef de partie, Scott’s, Richmond
- Maciej Pisarek, demi chef de partie, The Savoy Hotel
- Miltan Masha, senior sous chef, Monarch Theatre
- Nathan Johnson, junior sous chef, Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa
- Nicole Watt, ABCS, Royal Navy, HMS Defender
- Sam Dixon, demi chef de partie, Northcote
- Billy Etheridge, demi chef de partie, Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons
Some images from Mentor Day with more to view in the gallery.
