Celebrity baker Paul Hollywood to judge National De Vere Academy Young Chef Competition

A total of 16 apprentices will gather in London on 17th January to cook for an expert panel of judges headed up by Paul Hollywood. Hollywood said: "It is my pleasure to be part of this competition. I have seen some of the De Vere apprentices in action and they are enthusiastic about the hospitality industry. "I look forward to seeing their culinary creations and most importantly to contribute to the development of young British chefs. If I can bring a bit of inspiration to the table, that would be enough for me; I've heard that some of them are already in love with baking " Kellie Rixon, managing director at De Vere Academy of Hospitality, added: "We spend most of our time training and inspiring the future stars of hospitality. Now it's time to reward them. We thank Craft Guild of Chefs, Lockharts and Villeroy and Boch for contributing to the success of this competition. "Our chef apprentices are passionate about food and these finalists are putting all the effort into being successful in our industry." The results will be made public on 17th January when the first De Vere National Young Chef Title will be announced.