The leading lights of the hospitality industry came together on Tuesday 14th July to celebrate the winners of the Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE). The evening was hosted by Brian J. Turner CBE, President of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, and John Williams MBE, Chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, who announced three overall winners:
- 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.
Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Annual Award of Excellence 2015
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.
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
| 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 |
Kitchen Finalists had 5 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; and their own modern interpretation of a raspberry mille-feuille.
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 |
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; and 20 petits fours Nougat de Montélimar.
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 |
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.
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