Welcome to Competitions

The Craft Guild of Chefs is proud to celebrate with them.

Here you will find everything you need to know about the various culinary competitions that take place throughout the year - everything from the flagship National Chef of the Year contest through to the specialist Tilda Chef of the Year Competition.

This section will reveal where each is taking place, how you can get involved and those all important winners and runners up.

Current competitions:

Previous competitions:

Latest Competition News

03rd Nov 2025

Nestlé Professional’s Toque d’Or competition opens registrations for 2026

By: Edward Waddell

This year’s theme is cultural fusion, diversity and innovation. It reflects the dynamic and ever-evolving world of hospitality, encouraging students to embrace new flavours, ideas and perspectives

31st Oct 2025

Ardy Ferguson wins S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition

By: Edward Waddell

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition aims to empower talented young chefs through unparalleled connections with renowned culinary figures, education, mentorship and further networking

31st Oct 2025

Compass Group names Lee Redman as Senior Chef of the Year winner

By: Edward Waddell

The contest, which this year took place at The School of Culinary Arts & Food Technology in Technological University Dublin, showcases the company’s best-in-class culinary talent with an opportunity

30th Oct 2025

RAF chef Stefan Sewell wins Kraft Heinz culinary competition

By: Edward Waddell

The competition, in partnership with chef James Cochran and the Craft Guild of Chefs, saw five finalists battle it out for the coveted top spot. Finalists received one-on-one mentorship from Cochran

More Competitions News

25th Mar 2025

Latest Chefs of the Pass episode features top three from YNCOTY competition

Jonny Smith, who was working at Gravetye Manor at the time of the competition, ‘wowed’ the judges and achieved the...

24th Mar 2025

Jessica Erskine takes Gold Best in Class in 2025 Dessert of the Year competition

Erskine, a chef at the House of Commons, earned the coveted Gold Best in Class award for her creation of White Chocolate...

21st Mar 2025

Royal Hampshire County Hospital achieves ‘Best in Class’ at 2025 NHS Chef’s Showcase

Seven teams from the NHS competed in this year’s HCA NHS Chef Showcase, which is part of the International Salon Culinaire...

20th Mar 2025

Gary Maclean reveals five Scottish Student Chef of the Year finalists

The competition is now in its second year and aims to discover and celebrate the next generation of young Scottish chefs...

18th Mar 2025

Nestlé Professional reveals 12 Toque d’Or 2025 finalists

Under the eye of expert judges, including chef Tom Booton, the finalists have been selected to advance to the grand finals...

14th Mar 2025

National Seafood Chef of the Year competition returns

Guests were invited to enjoy a three-course seafood menu, created and served by hospitality and professional chef students of...

10th Mar 2025

Aramark education & healthcare executive chef wins annual competition

The annual competition challenges chefs from across the business, spanning various sectors and companies, to showcase their...

05th Mar 2025

Graduate Champions share their advice for young chefs entering the 2025 event

The Graduate Awards are currently open for entries and the Craft Guild of Chefs is looking for chefs and pastry chefs aged...

24th Feb 2025

Zest Quest Asia names eight colleges as finalists for 2025 competition

To reach the finals, each team was asked to create a five minute video illustrating why they had chosen their particular...

24th Feb 2025

Nestlé Professional reveals heats shortlist for Toque d’Or 2025

A total of 415 students from 45 colleges registered for this year’s competition, showcasing their talent and passion for...