Williams, the current National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) title holder, served a chicken, liver and asparagus dish in front of 40 guests while sharing his personal experiences of the industry. Young National Chef of the Year ambassador Sargeant, who won the NCOTY title in 2002 also opened up about his culinary secrets while showing the audience how to make use of the whole scallop.

Steve Munkley, executive chef at The Royal Garden Hotel and Craft Guild vice president, said: “Alyn and Mark did a fantastic job preparing several dishes with ingredients from a mystery basket. It’s not easy preparing dishes off the cuff while also being grilled by the audience.

“They were very open about their careers, the challenges they face in running a successful business and how they prepared for big competitions like Young National and National Chef of the Year.”

The Chef Knowledge Exchange covered a number of topical issues, including food waste, top food trends, how to break into the industry and how to overcome business challenges such as staffing.

The second Chef Knowledge Exchange takes place at the next Young National Chef of the Year semi-final in London on July 2, where the next group of chefs will battle it out for a place in the competition final in October.

To book a place on the next Chef Knowledge Exchange at the University of West London, and rub shoulders with some of the best chefs in the country, visit www.unileverfoodsolutions.co.uk/chefknowledgeexchange or contact [email protected]