Classic Fine Foods National Chef of the Year 2025 Sponsorship

Follow in the footsteps of culinary legends as the hunt for the next National Chef of the Year is on.

For the second year running, Classic Fine Foods is proud to sponsor the UK's most prestigious culinary competition: National Chef of the Year.

Established in 1972, National Chef of the Year celebrates the finest talent emerging from kitchens across the nation. Past winners exemplify how this prestigious award can elevate careers, often paving the way to Michelin Star recognition. This inspiring competition offers chefs a remarkable platform to showcase their culinary skills and gain industry-wide recognition.

As proud sponsors, we are here to support the talented chefs who enter. We can't wait to see who makes the final this year.

The search for the next National Chef of the Year is officially underway, as the Craft Guild of Chefs partners with Matt Abé to create an inspiring brief for this prestigious competition. The criteria invites chefs to showcase their creativity, culinary skills, and talent in line with this year's theme: Classic Meets Contemporary.

Competitors will be challenged to prepare a three-course menu for two covers within three hours, with menus reflecting the season in which the final will take place in October. For the starter, chefs must deliver a classically inspired lobster dish accompanied by an elegant sauce. Technical skill, attention to detail, and exceptional flavour will be key to creating a stunning opening course.

The main course will require chefs to present a beef dish using two cuts of beef, accompanied by one potato and one onion element. The Craft Guild of Chefs encourages entrants to draw on national and international cuisines while highlighting the quality and technical aspects of chosen cuts of the beef.

For the dessert, competitors are tasked with creating a tart or tartlet that showcases the rich flavours of Valrhona chocolate. While based on a classic dessert, chefs are encouraged to personalise the dish, demonstrating their innovation and creativity.

Speaking about the competition, Chair of Judges and chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Matt Abé, said: "After seeing the exceptional standard of dishes during last year's extended cooking time, I wanted to retain the three-hour time limit to allow chefs the opportunity to fully showcase their skills. During the first round of judging, we'll be looking for chefs who demonstrate excellent technical ability, culinary knowledge, and an enticing menu that leaves us eager to taste their dishes. Innovation, seasonality, and the reduction of waste will also be key considerations. I'm honoured to chair this competition for a second year running and to help the Guild develop it further bringing new ideas and initiatives."

David Mulcahy, Vice-President of the Craft Guild of Chefs and Competition Director added: "This competition celebrates everything that makes the hospitality industry so special with passion, determination and incredible personal development along the way. Winning this title is within reach for every ambitious chef, as we use a rigorous judging process that begins with a blind evaluation of the initial menus. At every stage, different judges provide balanced and varied opinions to ensure everyone is judged fairly. This competition has produced incredible winners who have gone on to become true heroes of the hospitality industry. Whether it's your first time entering or you're a seasoned competitor, we're excited to see what you create."

Here's what last year's winner, Orry Shand had to say: "It felt like a good time in my career to test myself at the highest level and enter National Chef of the Year. I'm delighted I managed to win on my first attempt, especially with such amazing feedback, and I've now joined an illustrious list of winners. You get out what you put in and from entry to the final stage, I invested a lot of time into the competition, but it was 100% worth it."

Register today and start your entry at www.nationalchefoftheyear.co.uk. The Guild recommends registering early so that interested chefs receive any important email updates over the next few months.

The deadline for preliminary entries is Monday, 14th April 2025, after which 40 semi-finalists will be selected. The semi-finalists will be announced on Monday, 2nd June, with ten finalists cooking their original menus on Tuesday, 7th October 2025, at the University of West London.