The countdown has begun for the 2011 Craft Guild National Chef of the Year challenge

The cook offs will be spread over two days. The first takes place at Sheffield College on September 5 and the second at Westminster Kingsway College in London on September 8, and these will decide who goes through to the live final at the Restaurant Show at Earls Court 2 in London on October 11 for a chance to win the title. Now in its 39th year, TNCOTY is one of the most respected and sought after culinary titles. Its revised format, which was introduced last year, has helped develop the contest into one that celebrates the growing multi culinary cultures in the UK. The categories this year cover modern British/European, Asian/Oriental and Rest of the World/Other, and each of the semi finalists will produce a three course lunch menu based on one of these cuisine styles. The semi finalists are: James Baker, sous chef, ESS Support Services Marcus Bean, chef owner, The New Inn James Buckley, executive chef UCL, Compass Group David Bush, senior chef de partie, House of Commons Pratap Chahal, head chef, The Peasant Paul Anthony Cunliffe, head chef, Crown Hotel Michael Dipple, junior sous chef, Cannizaro House Glenn Evans, development chef, Reynolds Catering Supplies Gary Fish, hospitality manager, Bite Catering Frederick Forster, head chef, 44 Restaurant & Lounge Justin Galea, head chef, Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort Hayden Groves, executive chef, Lloyds of London, Avenance Daniel Jones, head chef, The Harp Inn Imthiaz Kader, head chef, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Diane Kay, sous chef, Carlton Club Selin Kiazim, sous chef, Kopapa Peter Knibb, chef proprietor, Restaurant 23 Ashwani Kumar, head chef, Mango Lounge Windsor Joe McCafferty, senior chef de partie, ROKA restaurant Palash Mitra, sous chef, The Cinnamon Club Ian Morgan, executive chef, Cucina Martin Nisbet, Angelus Restaurant Ryan Perratt, head chef, The National Café, Peyton and Byrne Robert Potter, sous chef, Lucknam Park Hotel Sudha Shankar Saha, executive chef, Saffron Sujan Sarkar, head chef, Automat Restaurant Hansel Sheldon, executive sous chef, The Dorchester Collection Kevin Sutherland, executive services senior sous chef, Barclays Bank, BaxterStorey Michael Tate, chef de partie, Harvey Nichols, Manchester Daniel Towell, head chef, Avenance Dez Turland, group development chef, Brend Hotels, Saunton Sands Ernustus Van Zyl, chef practical tutor, Devere Hospitality Academy Adrian Vaughan, senior sous chef, Runnymede on Thames Simon Webb, head chef, Restaurant Associates Alyn Williams, chef patron, The Westbury Joo Young Won, senior sous chef, Galvin@Windows Restaurant Andrew Wong, chef, Bumbles Restaurant Simon Woods, chef lecturer, Westminster Kingsway College Andrew Wright, chef, Arden Hotel Terry Wright, head chef, Compass Group