Young Chef Young Waiter 2011 finalists revealed

Following the northern and southern regional heats, a panel of chef judges chaired by Bruce Poole of Chez Bruce in London, and waiter judges chaired by Stephen Mannock from the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, whittled the 48 competitors down to 16.

The finalists all received a prize of a three-day trip to Champagne Laurent-Perrier and will now go to the national final, held at Westminster Kingsway College in London on 19 October.

Bob Walton MBE, chairman of the competition and president of the Restaurant Association, said that every year the standard of entries got higher and higher.

“We can be really proud of all these young people who show so much talent," said Walton. "They are the future of the industry.”

The winners of the regional chef heats were Tom Barnes of L’Enclume in Cartmel and Chris Johns from L’Autre Pied in London.

The waiter regional winners were Claudio Di Somma of The Ritz in London and Emilio Pietro Conti of Coworth Park, Ascot.

The full list of finalists of the Young Chef Young Waiter competition is as follows: ​

Young chefs:​

Tom Barnes, L’Enclume, Cartmel

Chris Johns, L’Autre Pied, London

Jonathan Bone, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London

Steven Ellis, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London

Thomas Swanborough, Wiltons, London

Adam Handling, Fairmont St Andrews

Chris Kenny, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford

Ryan Murphy, Turnberry Hotel

Young waiters:​

Claudio Di Somma, The Ritz, London

Emilio Pietro Conti, Coworth Park, Ascot

Paul Foxon, The Ritz, London

Burak Sen, The Ritz, London

Romain Taverne, Galvin at Windows, London

Sophie Henderson, Coworth Park, Ascot

Carine Jau, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxford

Tobias Klaas, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, London