The Craft Guild of Chefs has revealed the names of the five young chefs who achieved a score of 85% or higher in the final examination of its annual Graduate Awards at the awards ceremony at the Landmark London Hotel in Marylebone on Friday 5 September.
James Newton from the Royal Garden Hotel took the top spot with a score of 87.5% closely followed by Connor Godfrey from Wiltons Restaurant.
Joining them on the roll of honour is Ruth Hansom from The Ritz in London, Wayne Herrington from the Landmark London Hotel, and Victoria Scupham from The Royal Household. As highest achiever, Newton receives a four-day break courtesy of Warner Hotels (Bourne Leisure Group).
The announcement follows the final held at University College Birmingham on Thursday, August 28, where 10 chefs took part in a range of skill tests.
The examinations, created by Craft Guild vice president Steve Munkley 12 years ago, aim to take the learning that chefs under the age of 23 achieved at college and in the workplace to the next level.
Finalists completed a theory paper followed by butchery and fishmongery tests before creating a dish using a range of ingredients from a mystery basket. While in the kitchen, chefs also had to prepare a classic main course and dessert to impress the panel of expert judges.
The 2014 Graduate Awards finalists were:
Reece Cosier, Landmark London Hotel
Wayne Herrington, Landmark London Hotel
Connor Godfrey, Wiltons Restaurant
Ruth Hansom, The Ritz
John Grabecki, Galvin@Windows
Victoria Scupham, Royal Household
Joe Bose, House of Commons
Ross McMillan, Stirling Management Centre
Oliver Snowden, General Tarleton
James Newton, Royal Garden Hotel
For more information about the Graduate Awards click here