British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year 2014 finalists announced

Following a tense cook-off on Monday at University College Birmingham, the British Culinary Federation have announced the list of finalists for this year’s Chef of the Year competition.

Ten chefs have made it through to the final which will take place on 7 April, again at UCB, followed by a Dinner and Awards evening.

The first prize will be £2,500 as well as the opportunity to join the English Culinary Team squad at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg in November.

In attendance to judge the final will include Ashley Palmer-Watts, Brian Turner CBE, Alain Roux, Simon Hulstone, Roger Narbett MCA, Simon Webb (2012 winner) and Laurent Bouvier, President of Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises.

The competition criteria for the final will be two hours to cook a three course meal, highlighting the best of British produce. Main course must include two cuts of lamb which will be decided in the second round of the competition, a Butchery Workshop taking place at Aubrey Allen Ltd on 24 March.

At the Butchery Workshop, competitors will be given two primals – half a short fore of English lamb on the bone but with the neck (scrag) removed and a short saddle of English lamb.

They will then have one hour to prepare these two cuts into as many restaurant meat cuts as possible which will be presented to the judging table within one hour.

Not all the cuts will need to be cooked at the final, but at least one prominent cut from each primal should be showcased as the main course dish in April. Marks received at the workshop will then be added to the points accrued in the grand final to find an overall winner.

The remaining ten chefs are –

Adam Handling, St Ermin’s Hotel, London

Keith Hooker, Restaurant Associates, Compass Group, London

Mathew Shropshall, University College Birmingham

Imthiaz Kader, Wyndham Grand Chelsea Harbour, London

James Buckley, The Genuine Dining Company

Dez Turland, Saunton Sands Hotel, Devon

Carlos Martinez, The Stafford Kempinski, London

Nick Evans, Middlethorpe Hall, York

Keiron Stevens, Michael Wignall at The Latymer, Pennyhill Park

Byron Franklin, Clare College, Cambridge