Young National Chef of the Year, launched in 2012, highlights the most talented young chefs in the UK.
Jordon Powell was the first to earn a spot at The Restaurant Show when he won his heat in Sheffield last week. George Harding, senior chef de partie at The Atlantic Hotel was the heat winner at Le cordon Bleu yesterday.
Four final spots were given to Bethan Disley-Jones, apprentice pastry chef from The Art School Liverpool, Gercelynn Mae Dionio, demi chef de partie at Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Sion Hughes, chef de partie at Carden Park Hotel & Spa and William Keeble, demi chef de partie from Whatley Manor.
Bronwen Jenkins, chef de partie at Royal Garden Hotel was named as the first reserve for the final.
Hrishikesh Desai, executive chef at The Gilpin Hotel and Lake House said: “I was honoured to be asked to take on this role and have thoroughly enjoyed judging these two young chef heats.
“Having previously competed in and won The National Chef of the Year, I understand how the chefs feel and I think they have done a fantastic job in new environments, working well under pressure.
“It’s important that senior chefs support competitions like this to help inspire the next generation to improve their skills and push true talent into the spotlight.”
Four chefs have already been seeded straight to the final by winning some of the UK’s top titles including Ben Cowley who was the Graduate Awards Highest Achiever, Matthew Nicholls who won The British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year and Sam Everton representing World Skills. The final place will be the winner of the Academy of Culinary Arts Awards of Excellence, which will be announced in July.