At an awards ceremony at the Landmark Hotel, London, last night, the pair were declared the winners of the 2011 Young Chef Young Waiter competition which Bob Walton, chairman of the competition, described as the most hotly contested finals in its history. The finals were held earlier in the day at Westminster Kingsway College, London. Young Chef runners up were: Second: Tom Barnes, junior sous chef, L'Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria Third: Chris Johns, junior sous chef, Pied a Terre, London Young Waiter runners-up were: Second: Emilio Conti, Coworth Park, Ascot Third: Burak Sen, The Ritz, London Bob Walton, who is also president of The Restaurant Association, said that the standard this year was higher than ever. "We say that every year, but this year it was absolutely true. There were very few points separating out the finalists. The industry should be proud of these youngsters. They are the future of the industry." During the national finals, chef competitors had to prepare and serve a meal for four people from a mystery basket of ingredients that included grouse and sea bass. Chefs were judged on their choice of dishes, balance of menu, their cooking skills and timing, while the waiters were judged on their skills in serving the meal, customer contact skills and wine service skills. Chefs and waiters were paired so waiters had to serve the meal produced by their chef. New awards this year were: Waiters: Best Barista – Sophie Henderson (Coworth Park) Best wine knowledge – Sophie Henderson (Coworth Park) Best cheese knowledge – Sophie Henderson (Coworth Park) Chefs: Best original dish – Tom Barnes (L'Enclume, Cartmel) Best dessert – Jonathan Bone (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) Best kitchen craft – Chris Kenny (Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons) All 16 finalists won a three day trip to Champagne Laurent-Perrier. The winners of the national finals and the waiter who demonstrates the best wine knowledge in the finals also win an educational trip provided by Matthew Clark and Hatch Mansfield to Louis Jadot in Burgundy and Jean-Luc Colombo in the Rhône Valley. As Sophie Henderson won both these categories, Carine Jau (Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons) will accompany the study trip to Louis Jadot as the runner up wine knowledge category . The winning chef and waiter also won a three-day visit to the Villeroy & Boch porcelain factory and overnight stay at Chateau Septfontaines, with a Michelin-star dinner, in Luxembourg. The Savoy Educational Trust presented a cheque to the value of £1,000 each for the national chef and waiter winners, and £750 and £500 for the runners-up in the national finals. Other prizes included a decanter presented by Villeroy & Boch, free membership for a year of the Craft Guild of Chefs, courtesy of David Mulchay, which will enable all chef finalists to take part in the Guild's events for a year; and a tour of New Covent Garden Market with a voucher to spend on produce, courtesy of Wild Harvest. The competition, which is now in its 27th year and organised by The Restaurant Association, part of the British Hospitality Association, is a national competition for youngsters aged 25 years and under.