The semi-final of the British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year, sponsored by Aubrey Allen in conjunction with EBLEX and Moët & Chandon, was held at University College Birmingham last week.
Sixteen competitors battled it out for a place in the final,, which will be held at Hotelympia at London’s ExCel on Monday, 1 March. Chefs were asked to cook a three-course menu in two hours featuring English beef.
Judges included past winners Glynn Purnell of Purnell’s restaurant, Birmingham, Richard Turner, Turner’s restaurant, Harborne, Luke Tipping from Simpson’s restaurant, Birmingham, Idris Caldora MCA, executive chef of the Academy of Culinary Arts’ Adopt a School scheme and Roger Narbett MCA of the Bell and Cross at Clent, Worcestershire, and official chef to the England football team.
The 10 finalists, who will be competing to win the title and a cheque for £2,500, are:
- David Kennedy, Black Door Group, Newcastle upon Tyne;
- Kevin Sutherland, Barclays Bank, Canary Wharf, London;
- Dez Turland, Royal Duchy Hotel, Cornwall;
- Stephanie Moon, Leeds City College;
- Dean Crews, Finesse Hotels, Derby;
- Chris Godfrey, the Kingham Plough, Kingham;
- Roland Graham, the Merchant Hotel, Belfast;
- Matthew Warburton, Mint restaurant, Lichfield;
- Matthew Cheal, Simpson’s restaurant, Birmingham; and
- Paul Foster, Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham.
Judges for the final will include two-Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex from Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises, along with Glynn Purnell, Idris Caldora and Kevin Viner of Viner’s restaurant, Newquay.
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By Amanda Afiya
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