For the first time in its four year history, the YNCOTY organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs, in partnership with Unilever Food Solutions brand Knorr, is holding two semi-final heats. These will be held at Sheffield College on June 18 and the University of West London on July 2 to coincide with the National Chef of the Year semi-finals.

In a change from the format in previous years, this year’s YNCOTY competition open to chefs aged 18-23 sees the Craft Guild pick just four chefs to automatically go through to the grand final, while the remaining four places are fought for in a series of semi-finals by winners made up of young chefs from industry wide competitions and awards.

The semi-finalists competing for a place in the final are:
Elly Wentworth, Manor House Hotel Castle Combe – South West Young Chef of the Year
Ruth Hansom, Boundary Restaurant – Master Chefs of Great Britain Young Chef of the Year
Danny Hoang, Café Royal – UK Skills competition
Rosa Fothergill, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons – Craft Guild Young Chef Awards
April Partridge, The Club at The Ivy – Craft Guild Young Chef Awards
Craig Bateman, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Compass Group – Craft Guild Young Chef Awards
Greig Young, The Vineyard at Stockcross – Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Chef
Andre Rhone, The Royal Garden Hotel – UK Skills competition
Adam George Newth, Angels with Bagpipes – Young Scottish Chef of the Year
Connor Godfrey, Wiltons – Master Chefs of Great Britain Young Chef of the Year
Kevin Johnston, Banchory Lodge Hotel – Young Grampian Chef of the Year

The live final will be held the Restaurant show in London on October 8.

For more information, visit www.craftguildofchefs.org, contact Clair Bowman on 01293 610329 or follow @TNCOTY #YNCOTY on twitter.