The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts is excited to announce that entries for the Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE) 2025 are now open.
The AAE has three main categories: kitchen, pastry, and service and is an individual test that focuses on encouraging candidates to meet an industry standard benchmark score of 70% rather than competing against their peers. The approach ensures that every candidate has a genuine chance to earn the prestigious accolade, irrespective of the number of participants vying for it. To be eligible to enter candidates must be under 26 and working full time in the industry.
The candidate who scores the highest in each category will be awarded the coveted title of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef, or Young Waiter of the Year 2025. Tasks are set by some of the best chefs in the industry and the winning candidates will join the likes of Luke Selby executive head chef at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Will Torrent, Senior Brand Development Chef at Waitrose & Partners and John Hollywood, head of learning and development at Iconic Luxury Hotels as AAE alumni.
Those achieving the title will receive a £2,000 bursary from the Savoy Educational Trust put towards an educational culinary trip that will enhance their industry knowledge or improve a particular skill or focus. They will also be given the opportunity of work experience at The Fat Duck courtesy of Heston Blumenthal.
In addition, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef of The Year will gain automatic entry to the final of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Young Chef of The Year.
Chef patron of the Michelin-starred Elystan Street in Chelsea Green, and pasta restaurant Notto in Piccadilly Circus – Philip Howard – continues his tenure as Honorary President of The Annual Awards of Excellence 2025 for a second year. AAE 2025 will also see the addition of two new chairs – Alistair Birt MCA, Senior Head Chef at Harrods and Simon Girling, Director of Food & Beverage at The Ritz London.
Chair of pastry, Birt will work alongside Torrent, as deputy chair and judge the pastry category. While Girling will chair and judge the service element of the awards alongside Vice Chairman, Didier Garnier CONM/ONMA, Proprietor at Le Colombier and Director of Service, John Cousins, Director at The Food and Beverage Training Company. While Martyn Nail, Executive Chef at Claridge’s and Hywel Jones, Executive Chef at Lucknam Park will continue as co-chairs of kitchen.
On the awards Alistair Birt MCA comments: “I'm honoured to take on the mantal from Yolande Stanley MBE MCA and look forward to maintaining the high standards as we usher the awards into a new era. This year we will continue with the newly adopted mentor day at the Callebaut Chocolate Academy and set tasks that will test entrants’ classical techniques as well as give them an opportunity to showcase both their skill and creativity”.
While Simon Girling says: “We are excited about our restaurant service plans for the 2025 Annual Awards of Excellence. With two new venues for our heats with the Four Seasons London Park Lane and Woodcote Park Country Club in Surrey, joining our other host venues The Savoy, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London, Gleneagles and Turnberry in Scotland.
“We will have new bespoke tutorials and access to masterclass videos from industry greats. It’s time to challenge yourself and embrace the opportunity to show off your skills to some of our industry’s most respected service experts.”
Key dates:
• Monday 6th January 2025 Pastry entries close
• Friday 31st January 2025 closing date for Kitchen and Service
Candidates keen to enter the Annual Awards of Excellence can do so via the website, where further details of the tasks, dates and prizes can be found. royalacademyofculinaryarts.org.uk/aae
