Shand won the title last night (8 October), sharing the spotlight with Jonny Smith, junior sous chef at Gravetye Manor in Sussex, who was named Young National Chef of the Year. The National Chef of the Year competition featured ten finalists, with the results announced at the Hippodrome in London’s Leicester Square.
Cleverson Cordeiro from Frog by Adam Handling improved upon his third-place finish last year, claiming the runner-up position this time, while Paul Gamble of Waitrose & Partners took third place. Shand secured the top position by impressing judges—Matt Abé, Aktar Islam, Brett Graham, Gary Jones, Roberta Hall-McCarron, and Kenny Atkinson—with his menu, which included a starter of North Sea turbot with smoky Orkney scallop, a main course of Lumina lamb with a Scottish autumn theme, and a dessert celebrating Manjari Valrhona with Asian influences.
Abé, chair of judges for this year’s competition, praised Orry, stating, “He has completely set a new level for this competition. He was outstanding, and I know he will be a fantastic ambassador for both this competition and the industry.”
A new aspect for 2024 introduced a wine pairing competition hosted by Hallgarten & Novum Wines, where finalists chose a wine from their extensive selection to complement their main course. Jethro Lawrence, a development chef for European frozen food company Apetito, won this segment.
### Young National Chef of the Year
In the Young National Chef of the Year competition, Jonny Smith emerged victorious with a menu featuring golden cross goats cheese agnolotti with Gravetye tomatoes and basil, Norwegian halibut with shiitake and cauliflower, and a choux bun filled with whipped Opalys ganache and honey-poached quince. The runner-up position went to Rosie Welch from L’Enclume, while Keira Carolan from Henrock claimed third.
The judging panel for this year’s final included Russell Bateman as chair, along with Ali Howard, Chantelle Nicholson, Alex Angelogiannis, Phil Howard, Ollie Dabbous, Ruth Hansom-Rigby, Denis Drame, Graham Hornigold, George Blogg, and Paul Mannering. Finalists had two hours to present a three-course menu following an innovative brief set by Bateman.
Bateman expressed his enjoyment of judging, highlighting the impressive standards and creativity displayed by the young chefs. “I set a brief that would allow them to think creatively while showcasing their culinary skills, and it has given me great confidence in the future of hospitality. Congratulations to Jonny for creating a consistently excellent menu with beautifully flavored dishes and a fantastic choice of ingredients.”
