The shortlists have now been confirmed for the eight categories at The Staff Canteen Awards 2024.
Here is a breakdown of everybody in the running, ahead of the awards ceremony at Scotland House in London on Monday, November 11.
RATIONAL are headline sponsors for the event, while Compass Group UK & Ireland, ASMI Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Chef Works, Major, Lightspeed, Chef+, Scotland Food and Drink and Exmoor Caviar are also part of the event as a sponsor.
Chef of the year
Romy Gill MBE – chef, writer and broadcaster
British-Indian chef Romy, MBE, was formerly owner and head chef at Romy’s Kitchen in Gloucestershire. She is now a familiar name across television and radio, as well as writing in both newspapers and her own cookbooks, most recently Romy Gill’s India.
See our video feature with Romy from 2023
Tom Aikens – Muse by Tom Aikens
Tom runs Michelin-starred Muse in London, previously becoming the youngest chef to earn two Michelin stars aged just 26, at Pied à Terre in 1997.
Norfolk-born Tom, a contestant-turned-judge on Great British Menu, continues to go from strength to strength, this year voted the AA chefs’ chef of the year.
Tim Allen – sō–lō Restaurant
Located in the north west village of Aughton, sō–lō opened in November 2021, gaining a Michelin star in March 2023.
Tim took part in series 10 of Great British Menu, whilst working at Michelin-starred Launceston Place in London.
Dominic Chapman – The Crown
Dominic is a fourth-generation chef, who used to work as head chef for Heston Blumenthal.
In 2014, he decided to go it alone at The Beehive in Berkshire, where he earned a host of accolades, before leaving last year having taken over The Crown from Simon Bonwick.
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Front of house team of the year
Beach House Oxwich
Located on the shores of Oxwich near Swansea, the Beach House’s kitchen is run by Hywel Griffith.
Restaurant manager at the Michelin-starred establishment is Megan Rust, who has worked in catering since she was a teenager.
Harborne Kitchen
The front of house at Birmingham-based Harborne Kitchen is taken charge of by general manager and sommelier Jacob Dolman.
The kitchen, which serves modern British cuisine, is run by head chef Tom Wells.
Pignut
Recently awarded three AA rosettes, Pignut in north Yorkshire has been making waves in the industry this year.
It is co-owned by Laurissa Cook, who runs front of house, and her partner and chef Tom Heywood.
Faru
Situated in Durham, Faru offers a seasonal tasting menu, as well as a Sunday roast.
It is the first restaurant from husband-and-wife duo Jake and Laura Siddle, Laura running the front of house team.
The pair met whilst working together at Michelin-starred House of Tides in Newcastle.
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KP of the year
Lee Mullen – Moss & Moor
Moss & Moor is a garden centre and restaurant in Ilkley, Yorkshire.
Lee, a single parent to three children, has been described by the Moss & Moor team as a “true rock” in the kitchen since day one “with a smile and can-do attitude”.
Adam Cope – The Duncombe Arms
Adam is approaching three years at The Duncombe Arms, having been with the team since he was 15.
The Peak District pub offers classic and modern British food and has received recognition in the shape of listings in the Top 50 Gastropubs, two AA rosettes and Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Michael Hargreaves – Heathcote & Co, Salford Community Stadium
Michael has been labelled as the “back bone of the kitchen team” at Heathcote, happy to assist in any task asked of him.
Heathcote are based out of the Salford Community Stadium, which hosts events and conferences, as well as being home to rugby union’s Sale Sharks and rugby league club Salford Red Devils. Heathcote also operate at a variety of locations as contractors.
Henry Sommerfield – The Terrace
Isle of Wight’s Henry has made the shortlist for his work at The Terrace in Yarmouth.
Initially joining part-time, Henry’s confidence both professionally and socially has grown, seeing him now lead a team of three other kitchen porters.
He has also set up a group at the restaurant where trainees can discuss any issues or concerns they have, to help promote a positive workplace culture.
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Member of the year
Jack Bond – The Cottage in the Wood, Keswick
Jack, head chef at Michelin-starred The Cottage in the Wood, was selected as member of the month in March 2024.
Jack and his wife Beth began running The Cottage in the Lake District at the start of this year. The pair are passionate about sustainable practices and minimising waste.
Billy Frost – The Mucky Duck, Drakeholes
Billy was The Staff Canteen’s first member of the month of this calendar year.
He has been a member since 2017 and works as head chef of The Mucky Duck near Doncaster.
Billy previously competed on Masterchef: The Professionals, back in 2014.
Kayne Mather – Fletchers Restaurant, Nottingham College
Kayne was selected as member of the month in November 2023, just after the cut-off for our awards ceremony last year.
He works as sous chef at Nottingham College’s Fletchers Restaurant and won the Cherry Grainger prize for 2023, voted for by the Worshipful Company of Cooks.
Mike Tudor – Bromborough Golf Club
Mike, head chef at Bromborough Golf Club, regularly shares images of his dishes via his member profile on The Staff Canteen.
He was named member of the month in February and says being part of the TSC community has “really helped me move on to the next level”.
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One to watch
Stevie Higginson – Square Bistro
Stevie is chef owner of the 60-seater Square Bistro in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
Square was established in 2006 and is committed to working with local suppliers to showcase the best the country has to offer.
Evens López – La Dame de Pic
Peruvian Evens is head chef at Anne-Sophie Pic’s two Michelin-starred La Dame de Pic in London.
He has worked across the globe at restaurants such as Ristorante Trussardi Alla Scala in Milan and three-Michelin starred Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris, before heading to London.
See our feature interview with Evens from earlier this year
Curtis Tonge – Manifest
Curtis was a 2021 Roux Scholarship finalist and now works at ‘casual fine dining restaurant’ Manifest in Liverpool, which holds two AA rosettes.
The dad-of-two formerly worked at Michelin-starred Northcote and Chester Grosvenor.
Fergus Wilford – Fallow
Fergus is head chef at Fallow, the London restaurant which has been boosted by its impressive social media following.
The contemporary restaurant in St James’s Market has recently achieved B Corp status, highlighting its commitment towards the careful sourcing of ingredients.
Fergus was previously senior sous chef at Fallow, before taking up the role as head chef.
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Social media influencer
Craig Miles
Craig is a development chef for Bidfood UK.
The foodservice wholesaler use social media to post videos of kitchen tips and ideas from chefs.
RogueChefs
RogueChefs are a young chef duo, Jordan Johnson and Evan Holliday, who specialise in creating TikTok content of both Michelin fine dining food and the funny side of kitchens.
Jordan and Evan both gained experience working at Simpsons in Birmingham and are available for private hire, either as home dining or events.
Tommy Banks
Tommy is a chef, farmer, forager and entrepreneur, owner of The Tommy Banks Group. As well as featuring on television, Tommy runs Michelin-starred The Black Swan and in November is set to open wellness-led sanctuary Saltmoore alongside Adam Maddock, in his home county of Yorkshire.
Tommy is approaching 150,000 Instagram followers and also posts regularly on TikTok.
Interview: What Tommy Banks and Adam Maddock are looking to create at Saltmoore
Adam Byatt
Chef patron at Trinity in Clapham, Adam is a creative Michelin-starred chef with a passion for British food.
Adam has a big social media following, with a notable presence across both TikTok and Instagram.
Click here to vote for your winner
Sustainable business of the year
Barge East
London’s Barge East is a floating restaurant and bar, situated on a Dutch barge on the canal at Hackney Wick.
It has won a host of accolades, with the menu inspired by ingredients from the gardens and sustainable suppliers.
The business began when friends Tommo, Ryan and Blandy teamed up to sail 122-year-old De Hoop from Den Helder in Holland across the North Sea to moor in London. Since, they have engaged in various initiatives to give back to the community.
Pignut
Laurissa Cook and Tom Heywood say their venture Pignut in Helmsley is “a love letter to the land, sea, and seasons that shape our region”.
The menu at Pignut celebrates farmers, foragers and the natural world.
Fish & Forest
Fish & Forest is an independent, neighbourhood bistro in York, serving sustainable and seasonal fish, game and forest foods.
The owner and head chef is Stephen Andrews, while Yohan Barthelemy runs the front of house.
Forge at Middleton Lodge Estate
Also shortlisted from Yorkshire is Forge in Richmond. Head chef Jake Jones gained recognition as Michelin young chef of the year for 2024.
The Middleton Lodge Estate restaurant was also this year awarded a Michelin Green Star, celebrating its commitment to ethical and environmental standards.
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Hospitality hero
Tobie-Anna Durk – Kelly’s Cause
Kelly’s Cause is a hospitality charity, providing mental health training and mental health services.
It was founded by Tobie-Anna in honour of her friend Kelly, a chef who took her own life aged just 23 in 2018.
Tobie-Anna is a professional chef, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu London and became head chef of Kricket in Brixton, before starting Kelly’s Cause.
Mex Ibrahim – Women in the Food Industry
Mex is the co-founder of The Women in the Food Industry, whose mission is to empower women, shine a spotlight on what they are doing for the UK food industry and build a community of women who give each other support, confidence and strength.
Matt Davies – British Culinary Federation/Hospitality Action
Staffordshire chef Matt Davies has shown resilience in the face of adversity since suffering burns and losing an arm in an accident at work.
Rather than turning his back on hospitality, Matt instead used it to begin a new chapter, throwing himself into charity work, advocating for support for individuals like himself, who face challenges and obstacles in the industry.
Ursula Boardman – The CRUMBS Project
Ursula has spent over 15 years helping adults with disabilities and neurodivergences to defy the odds and gain employment in the hospitality industry.
She works as head of centre at The CRUMBS Project in Bournemouth, a charity which offers professional training and development programmes.
Click here to vote for your winner
For more information, head to our dedicated TSC Awards 2024 page.
