The 40 chefs were selected from a high number of applications following the paper judging round, where the brief was to submit a creative lunch menu within two hours for four guests .

The menu had to reflect Asian, Oriental, Modern British, Modern European or Rest of the World cuisines and consist of a vegetable-focused starter, main course using locally sourced fresh white fish, with appropriate accompaniments, and a dessert using summer fruit served hot or cold.

The Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year 2014 semi-finalists and their competition dates are:

Sheffield – Heat 1 – Sheffield City College – June 10
Zoltan Szabo, head chef, Grand Central Hotel
Andrew Wright, sous chef, Restaurant 23
Max Tempest Endicott, sous chef, The Star Inn
Thomas Pickard, sous chef, Swinton Park Hotel
Dylan Wyn Owens, sous chef, Belle Epoque
Robert Potter, head chef, Lucknam Park Hotel
Ian Boyd-Thorpe, sous chef, The Peat Inn
Andrew Gotting, executive group head chef, Galloping Gourmet
Glenn Evans, food development manager, Greene King
Slawomir Mikolajczyk, head chef, Winteringham Fields
Dion Jones, head chef, Crewe Hall Hotels

London – Heat 2 – Le Cordon Bleu, London – June 25
Kyle Jenkins, sous chef, La Trompette
Paul O’Neill, senior sous chef, Ashdown Park Hotel
Andrew Lagor, business development chef, Unilever Food Solutions
Byron James Hayter, head chef, L’Horizon Beach & Hotel Spa
Francisco Carrasco, sous chef, Aqua Shard
Diane Kay, development chef, Reynolds
Rohan  Wadke, junior sous chef, Grand Central Hotel
Saurav Nath, sous chef, Gymkhana
Liam McKenna, junior sous chef, Sandringham Yacht Club
Sankar Chandrasekaran, sous chef, The Cinnamon Club

London – Heat 3 – Le Cordon Bleu, London – June 25
Adam Handling, head chef, St Ermins Hotel
Russell Bateman, head chef, Colette’s
Greg Newman, junior sous chef, Bovey Castle
David Bush, senior chef de partie, House of Commons
Andrew Birch, sous chef, Montagu Arms Hotel
John (Jake) Burton Stewart, senior chef de partie, BaxterStorey
Steven Wylie, executive chef, Sodexo
Tony Stuart, hospitality head chef, Lexington Catering (Standard Bank)
Scott Dineen, senior sous chef, BaxterStorey
Simon McKenzie, executive chef, RW Randall

London – Heat 4 – Le Cordon Bleu, London – June 25
Daniel Morgan, sous chef, The Square
Iain Dixon, sous chef, The Nut Tree Inn
Fabian Palese, sous chef, The Park Lane Hotel, London
Al Eggleston, executive chef, Vacherin
Simon Webb, head chef, CH&Co
Neil Yule, head chef, Sodexo
Lahiru Jayasekara, head chef, The Manor at Weston on the Green
Maarten Geschwindt, chef patron, Landmark Hotel
Nick Edgar, head chef, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons
Elisha Carter, head chef, Café Royal Hotel

Craft Guild vice president and competition organiser David Mulcahy said: “The standard of the entries of this year’s competition is excellent and we’re really looking forward to see how the menus transfer from paper to the plate.”

A panel of more than 40 industry judges will help select the finalists and the ultimate winner, including Gary Jones, executive head chef at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, who added: “The Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year gives talented chefs the opportunity to compete, shine and stand out. I look forward to seeing who has mastered his or her craft to earn that career defining moment of becoming National Chef of the Year 2014.”

Clare Smyth, chef patron at three-Michelin starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and another of this year’s judges, has high expectations for the competitors. “So many winners have gone on to build amazing careers, and winning opens so many doors," she said. "I’m really excited to be involved with co-chairing this year’s judging panel.”

The heats take place at Sheffield College on Tuesday, June 10, and at Le Cordon Bleu in London on Wednesday, June 25. It is the first time that the semi-finals will take place at Le Cordon Bleu. Culinary arts director Alan Swinson said: “We are absolutely thrilled to offer our Centre of Excellence as the venue for the semi-finals of this year’s National Chef of the Year. As Le Cordon Bleu continues to nurture the chefs of tomorrow, it is a privilege to support such a prestigious competition as this.”

Only eight chefs will go through to the final that takes place at the Restaurant Show on Tuesday, October 7. As well as providing a huge profile boost, the National Chef of the Year rewards the winner with prizes worth thousands of pounds.

• For more information visit http://craftguildofchefs.org/cgoc-competitions-landing/the-national-chef-of-the-year