Charles Smith wins Craft Guild of Chefs' Young National Chef of the Year 2011

Charles Smith, junior sous chef at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, has won the Craft Guild of Chefs' Young National Chef of the Year 2011.

Steve Munkley, a vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: "Charles showed a great understanding for the ingredients he worked with on the day. He kept his composure all the way through the competition and his dishes reflected the skill sets that Charles has developed at such a young age. It completes a great year for Charles, as he was part of the team that won the Young Chef Young Waiter competition."

The Young National Chef of the Year is for 18- to 24-year-old chefs who work in any sector of the industry but finalists are chosen by the Craft Guild of Chefs by invitation only.

Smith's menu consisted of prawn, scallop and caviar herb pappardelle as a starter and best end of lamb for main course.

Smith wins a trip to Dubai, courtesy of sponsor Churchill China. The prize includes work experience at three different venues, flights, accommodation and board for five days at the Emirates Hospitality Academy part of the Jumeirah Group.

He also won a Chef Skills Advanced Weekend worth over £1,000.

Andrew Postlethwaite, from the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal and Dimitar Angelkovski, from the Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, were declared second and third respectively.

Young National Chef of the Year finalists announced >>

Profile: Hrishikesh Desai, National Chef of the Year >>

By Neil Gerrard

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