Winners of the Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE) have been announced

Last night saw the winners of the Annual Awards of Excellence crowned at a ceremony hosted at Claridge’s by Brian Turner, President of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and John Williams MBE, Chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.

The three overall winners are:

• RACA Young Chef of the Year: DORIAN JANMAAT, BELMOND LE MANOIR AUX QUAT'SAISONS


• RACA Young Pastry Chef of the Year: GABRIELLA CUGNO, WILLIAM CURLEY


• RACA Young Waiter of the Year: THOMAS BORGHI, THE RITZ LONDON

The winners received silver trophies (donated by Gordon Hogg and Finclass), Meyer Cookware, MAC Knives, a bursary worth £2,000 – thanks to the generous support of the Savoy Educational Trust – and also a day’s work experience at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.

The Gala Dinner also celebrated a further 33 talented young chefs, pastry chefs and waiters, who successfully achieved the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Annual Award of Excellence 2015 in finals held in May and June.

John Williams, Chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts said: “I hope that through the Annual Awards of Excellence we can motivate and inspire the industry’s young chefs, pastry chefs and waiters to undertake a career of training first themselves, and then others; and to look outside the workplace to wider industry and opportunities.”

Read our interview with John Williams MBE

KITCHEN:

• Stacey Harris KPMG Restaurant Associates


• Aaron Middleton - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons


• Theodore Selby - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons


• Michael Thompson - Fera at Claridge's

PASTRY:

• Jamie Butler - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons


• Rebecca Gawn - Bachmann's Patisserie


• Roberto Guzzi - The Langham Hotel


• Theresa Martinez - The Park Lane Hotel


• Paul Maxwell - The Ritz London


• Elisha Shek - Yauatcha


• Stephen Smith - The Ritz London

SERVICE:

• Ferraro Ambrogio - The Ritz London


• Kevin Barbry - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons


• Jonathan Boyer - Luton Hoo


• Enzo Buonocore - The Ritz London


• Andrea Caputo - The Ritz London


• Claudiu Gheorghita - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons


• Manolo Giannico - The Ritz London


• Emily Goossens - Northcote


• Peter Ioannou - Sea Containers at Mondrian London


• Lucy Jones - Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa


• Michelle Maida-Re - The Gleneagles Hotel


• Stanislas Mascaro - The Waterside Inn


• Louis Muller - The Ritz London


• Gabriela Murea - Opus Restaurant


• Declan Nye - Cliveden House Hotel


• Benjamin Sananes - Le Gavroche


• Jennifer Santner - Fenchurch Seafood Bar and Grill


• Christoph Schrottenbaum - Dinner by Heston Blumenthal


• Klaus Schwebach - The Gleneagles Hotel


• Ilias Skordilis - The Gleneagles Hotel


• Jamie Tones - Café 21


• Lucy Yates - The Gleneagles Hotel

To achieve the award candidates had to attain a score of over 70% in the tasks set and judged by industry luminaries chaired by John Williams MBE, executive chef, The Ritz London and Chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.

Kitchen Finalists had five hours to produce:

• A summer soup starter, using ingredients from a mystery box


• Turbot à la Normande


• A whole duck dish from the entry task each candidate prepared


• Their own modern interpretation of a raspberry mille-feuille.

Spencer Metzger, Young Chef of the Year 2014 said: “Winning the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Annual Award of Excellence was a turning point in my career. It opened new horizons for me and has given me the confidence and ambition to reach my full potential at this stage in my profession. I highly recommend all young chefs who are ambitious and determined to succeed to enter this competition”.

Pastry Finalists had 5.5 hours to produce:

• Two Bûche de Noël; a sugar stand on which to display one Bûche de Noël (techniques could include poured, pulled, blown cooked sugar, nougatine and royal icing)


• Four portions of a fruit based verrine


• 20 petits fours Nougat de Montélimar.

Bianka Molnar, Young Pastry Chef of the Year 2014 said: “I’ve been in a few competitions but the Annual Awards of Excellence was different. It made me realise I how much I love my job and showed my abilities and skills. I feel very proud after winning the AAE 2014”.

Service Finalists were required to:

Decant and describe wines to the judging panel, as well as set up and serve a 3 course meal with wines and liqueurs to a table of two guest judges.

Sandra Bein, Young Waiter of the Year 2014 said: "When I heard the news from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts I just couldn't believe what was happening. I felt very thankful and surprised at the same time! Thankful that the judges decided to award this scholarship to me and absolutely surprised because I didn't expect this at all! I'm very excited and I'm also very much looking forward to this scholarship”.