BCF announces Chef of the Year finalists

The British Culinary Federation (BCF) has announced the finalists of its 2012 BCF Chef of the Year competition.

The 10 finalists were selected following a cook-off held earlier this week at the University College Birmingham. Competitors were asked to cook a three-course meal for two diners, with the starter incorporating fish and/or shellfish and the main course including British pork.

The 10 chefs will now compete at the BCF Chef of the Year 2012 final, which will take place at Hotelympia in the Live Theatre on Monday 27 February.

Finalists will have two hours to produce a three-course meal for two covers, including the starter and dessert from the semi-final, which they are allowed to tweak. The main course must incorporate beef.

Judges will include Brian Turner, Raymond Blanc, Alain Roux, Ashley Palmer-Watts, Idris Caldora, Roger Narbett and former winner Matt Cheal from Simpson's Restaurant in Birmingham. The winner will receive a cash prize of £2,500.

The BCF Chef of the Year 2012 is sponsored by Aubrey Allen and EBLEX.

The 10 finalists are:

Michael Tweedie, Lucknam Park Hotel, Bath
Byron Franklin, Pembroke College, Cambridge
Sheldon Fonseca, the Dorchester Hotel, London
Raymond Thomson, Stirling Management Centre, Scotland
Carlos Martinez, Cliveden House, Taplow
Colin Layfield, Paramount Restaurant, London
Adam Simmonds, Danesfield House Hotel, Marlow
Simon Webb, Restaurant Associates, Merrill Lynch, London
Adam Smith, the Ritz Hotel, London
Dez Turland, Saunton Sands Hotel, Devon

BCF Chef of the Year semi-finalists unveiled >>

One week left to enter the Roux Scholarship >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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