Young chefs make the grade at the Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards 2008

Three young chefs were recognised at the Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards 2008, following a lunch London’s Royal Garden Hotel on Tuesday.

Scroll down to watch the finals.

James Baker, junior sous chef at British Airways Waterside, Adam Harrison, commis chef at Oulton Hall near Leeds, and Selin Kiazim, a trainee chef at WestminsterKingsway College secured the required grade – a pass mark of 85% - from a shortlist of 12 finalists.  

An award for the highest achiever was given to Kiazim, who will receive a three-day trip to Paris, a visit to the Rorgue factory, dinner at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the French capital and a trip to a Scottish fish farm arranged by supplier James Knight of Mayfair.

In addition to the achievers’ success, a Mentor’s Trophy was given to Anton Scoones of Oulton Hall for his mentorship of two of the finalists. Scoones is a previous graduate achiever.

The Graduate Awards scheme was first launched in 2003 by the Craft Guild of Chefs with the aim of creating formal recognition of a young working chef’s culinary excellence. It tests the knowledge and skills of chefs 23 years of age or under in a series of culinary examinations.

All finalists were presented with a personalised chef ’s jacket, one year’s graduate membership of the Craft Guild of Chefs, a bottle of Pommery Champagne and a piece of culinary equipment.

By Amanda Afiya

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