Five “exceptional” young chefs working in restaurants across the UK are celebrating becoming the latest ones to watch after passing this year’s Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards.

The highest achiever, scoring 87% in the final exam in this year’s career-enhancing scheme for chefs aged 23 and under, was Reece Cosier, chef de partie, The Landmark hotel London.

Two other London chefs were amongst the five who achieved the tough pass mark of 85%; Olivia Baggley, chef de partie at Wiltons, and Drew Snaith, junior sous chef at Brunswick House.

Flying the flag for Northern Ireland was Aaron Duffy, sous chef at Grants Restaurant in Omagh, County Tyrone, and setting the bar for Buckinghamshire was Charlie Aggett, demi chef de partie at Hartwell House Hotel in Aylesbury, both of whom also scored 85% in the final exam.

Awards co-ordinator Steve Munkley, who presented the five chefs with their certificates at a cocktail presentation evening at the Lancaster London last night (Friday, September 4th), said each chef demonstrated great skills, as well as an understanding of what made great food. “Every year, I’m truly amazed at the talent we are producing in the UK and this year’s graduates epitomise this perfectly, showing expertise beyond their years in the butchery and fishmongery tests, mystery basket challenge and creation of a classic main and dessert in the final exam.

“Previous graduates such as Ben Champkin and Luke Selby have gone on to win our Young National Chef of the Year competition and we are looking forward to seeing what this year’s exceptional group of graduates go on to achieve in their careers and in the industry as a whole.”

With Paul Gayler MBE as the chairman of examiners, the Graduate Awards have gone from strength to strength since their launch in 2003 and are now seen as a way to formally recognise a young chef’s culinary excellence and test their knowledge and classical and modern skills and techniques in a series of culinary challenges in a pressured environment.

Initiatives that have taken the awards to the next level include a mentor day to prepare finalists for the ultimate exam, complete with masterclasses with industry greats and gastronomic treats.