The Annual Awards of Excellence is the most prestigious award available to young professionals in the hospitality industry today, recognising and encouraging the most talented ambitious Chefs, Pastry Chefs and Waiters. Since it began in 1983 over 480 young professionals have achieved the award, setting them off on highly successful career paths.
Following Finals held at Le Gavroche, The Gleneagles Hotel, and University of West London, the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts is proud to announce the winners of the Annual Awards of Excellence 2015.
KITCHEN
| Stacey Harris | KPMG Restaurant Associates |
| Dorian Janmaat | Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons |
| 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 |
| Gabriella Cugno | William Curley |
| 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 |
| Thomas Borghi | The Ritz London |
| 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 |
The challenge
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 5 hours to produce a summer soup starter, using ingredients from a mystery box; turbot normande; a whole duck dish from the entry task each candidate prepared; and their own modern interpretation of a raspberry mille-feuille.
Pastry Finalists had 5.5 hours to produce two bûche de noël; a sugar stand on which to display one bûche de noël; four portions of a fruit based verrine; and 20 petits fours nougat de montelimar.
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.
Gala Dinner for winners
The winning candidates will be invited to a Gala Dinner at Claridge’s on Tuesday 14 July, at which they will be presented with their award. The candidate who has scored the highest mark in each section – the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter of the year – will be announced at the dinner and will be presented with a trophy and prizes including a travel scholarship, thanks to the Savoy Educational Trust.
Sponsors
The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts is immeasurably grateful to the sponsors of the Annual Awards of Excellence 2015: The Savoy Educational Trust; City & Guilds; The Maldon Crystal Salt Co; ACT Clean; Foodservice Consultants Society International; L’Unico Caffe Musetti; Wedgwood; Laurent-Perrier Champagne; Speyside Glenlivet; James Knight of Mayfair; Fairfax Meadow; media partner The Caterer; as well as Continental Chef Supplies and Meyer for providing prizes, without whose help, morally and financially, the awards would not be possible.
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