The AAE recgonises and encourages the most talented ambitious chefs, pastry chefs and waiters in the hospitality industry.
Following nine semi-finals around the UK, 47 candidates have successfully reached the standard required to go through to the finals.
The service final will take place at Le Gavroche on Saturday, May 16th and The Gleneagles Hotel on Monday, May 26th, whilst kitchen and pastry finals will take place at the Universtiy of West London on Wednesday, June 3rd.
Judges for the AAE include, honorary president of the AAE 2015 Heston Blumenthal; chairman of the AAE John Williams; chairmen of kitch, Martyn Nail and Adam Byatt; chairmen of pastry, Yoladne Stanley and Sarah Hartnett; and chairmen of service, Sergio Rebecchi and John Cousins.
The full shortlist is as follows:
Kitchen finalists
Viktorija Bernataviciute Stacey Harris Danny Hoang Dorian Janmaat
Robin McCrindle Aaron Middleton Richard Pascoe Theodore Selby Michael Thompson Tom Waters
Peter Webster Hannah Westphalen
The Elephant Restaurant KPMG Restaurant Associates Colette's Restaurant Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Chez Roux Restaurant at Cromlix House Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Feversham Arms Hotel Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Fera at Claridge's Odette's Restaurant Galvin Bistrot de Luxe Lexington Catering
Kitchen semi-final tasks: For the Kitchen semi-finals, which took place at the University of West London, University College Birmingham and the Bournemouth & Poole College, candidates were required to undertake the following tasks: a theory test; a one hour skills test including preparing an omelette aux fines herbs, preparing a trout, and preparing vegetables brunoise and julienne; trout en papillote; osso bucco milanese; and chocolate éclairs.
Pastry finalists
Jamie Butler Gabriella Cugno Rebecca Gawn Roberto Guzzi Theresa Martinez Paul Maxwell Elisha Shek Stephen Smith Jess Thorne
Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons William Curley Bachmann's Patisserie The Langham Hotel
The Park Lane Hotel The Ritz London Yauatcha The Ritz London The Mason Arms
Pastry semi-final tasks: For the Pastry semi-finals, which took place at University of West London and University College Birmingham, candidates were required to produce puff pastry and present apple turnovers, eccles cakes and fleurons; an Easter gateau/cake; and chocolate snacking bars.
Service finalists
Ferraro Ambrogio Kevin Barbry Thomas Borghi Jonathan Boyer Enzo Buonocore Andrea Caputo Claudiu Gheorghita Manolo Giannico Alex Golding
Emily Goossens Peter Ioannou Lucy Jones Owen Haydn Jones Michelle Maida-Re Stanislas Mascaro Louis Muller Gabriela Murea Declan Nye Benjamin Sananes Jennifer Santner Christoph Schrottenbaum Klaus Schwebach
Ilias Skordilis Ross Teven Jamie Tones Lucy Yates
The Ritz London Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons The Ritz London Luton Hoo The Ritz London The Ritz London Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons The Ritz London Rudding Park Northcote Sea Containers at Mondrian London Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa The Gleneagles Hotel The Gleneagles Hotel The Waterside Inn The Ritz London Opus Restaurant Cliveden House Hotel Le Gavroche Fenchurch Seafood Bar and Grill Dinner by Heston Blumenthal The Gleneagles Hotel The Gleneagles Hotel The Gleneagles Hotel Café 21 The Gleneagles Hotel
Service semi-final tasks: For the Service semi-finals, which took place at The Ritz London and The Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland, candidates were required to sit a one hour theory paper which tested their knowledge on a range of food and beverage service aspects and were interviewed by the judges about their establishments menu and wine list.