'Incredibly impressed': Two Yorkshire chefs in running for top industry accolade once won by Gordon Ramsay
Two Yorkshire chefs have made it through the national final of the prestigious Chef of the Year competition whose past winners include Gordon Ramsay.
Daniel Conlon, head chef at Rafters in Sheffield and Tom Heywood, head chef/restaurant owner at the Pignut & The Hare in Scawton are among the ten finalists to be selected for the Craft Guild of Chefs' National Chef of The Year competition.
Mr Ramsay won the long-running competition in 1992, with the annual prize won by a host of other well-known chefs over the last five decades.
Mr Heywood and Mr Conlon found out this week that they had made it through to this year’s final ten after getting through live cook-offs involving 40 semi-finalists.
The journey to the final began with a brief challenging chefs to create a three-course menu inspired by the theme Our Sustainable Future.
Live semi-finals were then held at Sheffield College and Capital City College, with judges assessing technical skill and creativity in the kitchen as well as how competitors performed under pressure.
These ten chefs will now refine the menus they originally submitted at the entry stage before competing in the National Chef of the Year final at the Le Cordon Bleu Cookery School on October 6.
David Mulcahy, competition director and vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: "The return of the live semi-finals has added another dimension to the judging process. It allowed us to see how chefs performed in a competitive kitchen environment as well as considering the menus they originally submitted as they will cook these at the final.
“Our final decisions were based on both elements, rewarding chefs who demonstrated not only strong ideas on paper but also the skills needed to deliver delicious food at the highest level of pressure.
"After cooking for some of the most respected chefs in our industry, these finalists have earned their place and I'm sure we are in for an amazing final.
“For those who didn’t make it through, I'd encourage you to reflect on the experience, consider the feedback and absolutely return next year for what will be another incredible year. The experience teaches you so much about yourself as a chef and helps you grow in ways that go far beyond the competition kitchen.”
Chef patron of Moor Hall Mark Birchall added: "I’ve been incredibly impressed by the commitment and effort that’s gone into the competition so far. I know how much pressure chefs put themselves under, but also how much they grow and learn from the experience.
“Now we have our finalists, I want to see everyone make the most of the next few months and the mentor day to keep developing their ideas and raising their game so we can deliver the best final yet. My advice is to keep it simple and focus on creating delicious, brilliantly executed dishes rather than trying to overcomplicate things.
“The more involved I’ve become with National Chef of the Year as chair, the more I’ve realised just how important it is to our industry. I’m proud to be part of its legacy and excited to help shape its future as we celebrate 55 years of the competition next year."