Finalists to compete in next stage of Young Chef Young Waiter 2011 challenge

The challenge will be held at Westminster Kingsway College, London on October 19. Chef competition Winner of the southern regional chef competition was Chris Johns, junior sous chef, L'Autre Pied, London Runners up were: Jonathan Bone (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) Steven Ellis (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) Thomas Swanborough (Wiltons, London) In the national finals, they join the winner and runners up of the regional final at Darlington College: Tom Barnes (L'Enclume, Cartmel) Adam Handling (Fairmont St Andrews) Chris Kenny (Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxford) Ryan Murphy (Turnberry Hotel) Waiter competition Winner of the southern regional waiter competition held at Rashleighs was Emilio Pietro Conti of Coworth Park, Ascot. Runners up were: Paul Foxon (The Ritz) Burak Sen (The Ritz) Romain Taverne (Galvin at Windows, London) In the national finals, they join the winner and runners-up of the regional final at Rockliffe Hall: Claudio di Somma (The Ritz) Sophie Henderson (Coworth Park, Ascot) Carine Jau (Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Oxford) Tobias Klaas (Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, London) 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. They are the future of the industry." New awards this year are: Waiters: Best Barista - Claudio Di Somma (The Ritz)/Romain Taverne (Galvin at Windows, London) Best wine knowledge – Sophie Henderson (Coworth Park)/Emily Holworthy (Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, London) Best cheese knowledge – Sophie Henderson (Coworth Park)/ Emily Holworthy (Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, London) Chefs: Best original dish – Daniel Taylor (Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons)/Issam Kouhkouh El Mzouri (Melia White House, London) Best dessert – Matthew Worswick (Le Champignon Sauvage, Cheltenham)/Steven Ellis (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) Best kitchen craft – Chris Kenny (Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons)/Jonathan Bone (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) Chairman of the chef judges, Bruce Poole (Chez Bruce), was joined by Kenny Atkinson (Rockliffe Hall), Aiden Byrne (Church Green, Lymm), Michael Coaker (University of West London), Angela Hartnett (Murano, London), Mark Hill (House of Commons) Terry Laybourne (Café 21, Newcastle-upon-Tyne), David Mulcahy (Sodexo) and Alyn Williams (Alyn Williams at the Westbury, London). Chairman of the waiter judges, Stephen Mannock (National Skills Academy for Hospitality), was joined by Mark Bevan (Chester Grosvenor), Joël Claustre (Searcy's), Enzo Frangiamore (Mulmar), Simon Girling (The Ritz), Simon King (The Fat Duck), Jeremy Rata (Bovey Castle), Nick Shottel (Café 21, Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Julia Sibley and Margaret Georgiou (Savoy Educational Trust) and Johanna Wimmer (Westminster Kingsway College), with experts from Matthew Clark, Paxton and Whitfield and Nestlé Professional. All 16 finalists win a three day trip to Champagne Laurent-Perrier. The winners of the national finals also win an educational trip provided by Matthew Clark and Hatch Mansfield to Louis Jadot in Burgundy and Jean-Luc Colombo in the Rhône Valley (this is also awarded to the waiter who demonstrates the best wine knowledge in the competition). The winning chef and waiter also win a three-day visit to the Villeroy & Boch porcelain factory and overnight stay at Chateau Septfontaines, with a Michelin-star dinner, in Luxembourg. The Savoy Educational Trust also presents a cheque to the value of £1,000 each for the national chef and waiter winners, and £750 and £500 for the runners-up in the national finals.