Young Chef Young Waiter shortlist announced

The Restaurant Association has announced its shortlist for the regional finals of this year’s Young Chef Young Waiter competition, ahead of next month’s regional qualifiers.

Now in its 24th year, the competition recognises the very best of young British talent in restaurants and kitchens nationwide. The shortlisted competitors, all of whom are under the age of 25, will have to battle it out in three live regional cook-offs in the North, Midlands and London areas next month.

Three members of staff from the Ritz hotel’s kitchen and front of house make appearances in the line up, while Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Gordon Ramsay at Claridges have two representatives each.

The three regional finals will take place next month at Darlington College, University College Birmingham and Thames Valley University, with just sixteen finalists in total being chosen to compete at the final at Westminster Kingsway College on September 30.

All national finalists will win a study trip to Champagne Besserat de Bellafon in Epernay.

Chef Competitors:​

North​

Stephanie Robinson - Winteringham Fields
Dougie McMaster - Winteringham Fields
Steven Evans - Northcote Group, The Three Fishes
Michael Eminson - Northcote Manor
Stephen Smith - The Star Inn
Sergio Boyle - The Star Inn
Martin Malinowski-Evans - Caf? 21
Rose Greene - Balmoral Hotel

Midlands​

Alejandro Jose Cancino - Le Manoir au Quat’Saisons
Gareth Zachary - Le Manoir au Quat’Saisons
Tom Barnes - The Vineyard at Stockcross
Chris Lovell - The Elephant
James Dobson - Royal Duchy Hotel
Ben Mullins - Lucknam Park Hotel
Ryan Simpson - The Goose Britwell Salome
Julia Hetherton - Lavender House

London​

Tristin Farmer - Gordon Ramsay at Claridges
Andrew Ward - The Glasshouse
Rhys Richardson - Baxter Storey, Barclays Canary Wharf
Matt Abe - Gordon Ramsay at Claridges
Oliver Marlow - The Glasshouse
Sean Enslin - Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Joshua Pelham - The Square
Adam Smith - The Ritz

Waiter Competitor​
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North​

Al Crookall - Lancaster House Hotel
Roy Wing Nam Ng - Jesmond Dene
William Bonfield - Boxtree Restaurant
Eleanor Bristow - Northcote Manor
Matthew Randall - Harvey Nichols Manchester
Stefanie Woehlert - Macdonald Houston House
Chris Dobson - The Torridon Hotel
Katie Watson - Gleneagles Hotel

Midlands​

Mayta Meza - Opus Restaurant
Thomas Mercier - The Vineyard at Stockcross
Matthew Balman - Gidleigh Park
Mathilde Krug Von Nidda - Whatley Manor
Sam Matthews - Lavender House
Alessandra Bortoli - Skylon
Karim Le Cloarec - Searcy @ 30 St Mary Axe
Rosario Cappiello - The Ritz

London​

Sam Calderbank - Maze
Federico Zannolfi - The Lanesborough
Falko Molitor - Aspleys at The Lanesborough
Jeremy Verna - The Greenhouse
Barbara Riotti - The Goring
Ashraf Saleh - Galvins at Windows
Christophe Cormier - The Ritz
Marco Fusato - The Ritz