Twenty-five young chefs, pastry chefs and waiters have achieved the Academy of Culinary Arts’ Annual Award following finals at Thames Valley University, London’s Le Gavroche and Gleneagles in Auchterarder.

The awards, now in their 25th year, require candidates to achieve a score of more than 70% in tasks set and judged by industry luminaries chaired by John Williams, executive chef of the Ritz and chairman of the Academy of Culinary Arts.

Kitchen finalists had five hours to produce four dishes including poached Dover sole, étuvée of shellfish, while pastry finalists had five hours to complete tasks which included the creation a celebration cake decorated in the theme of Christmas.

The service finalists were required to decant and describe a wine to the judges, set up and serve a three-course meal with wine and liqueurs to a table of two guests.

The finalists who successfully achieved the award were:

Kitchen   
Jacek Grochowina, the Ritz Casino   
Martin Malinollski-Evans, Café 21,Newcastle   
David Murray, Claridge’s, London   
Dale Ormston, the Halfmoon   
Mark York, Bridgewater Concert Hall, Manchester   
   
Pastry   
Martin Bullough, Bents Garden Centre, Cheshire   
Sarah Frankland, William Curley   
Diana Kalnassy, Lanesborough, London   
Sarah Poliakov, Roux Fine Dining   
Louise Rigden, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton   

Service   
Philippe Bonjean, the Cadogan hotel, London   
Thomas Brunel, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons   
Aurelie Calame, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons   
Alexander Flasdieck, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons   
Greig Guthrie, Catch 22, Glasgow   
Julia Krettek, Strathearn restaurant, Gleneagles, Auchterarder   
Sebastien Massot, Le Gavroche, London   
Mayta Meza-Cumpa, Opus Restaurant, Birmingham   
Lynsey Milner, Strathearn restaurant, Gleneagles   
Cem Pekcan, Strathearn restaurant, Gleneagles   
Robert Rose, restaurant Gordon Ramsay   
Ashraf Saleh, Galvin at Windows   
Christopher Snoxall, Gleneagles hotel   
Max Westphal, Gleneagles hotel 

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By Amanda Afiya

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