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

04th Dec 2025

Craft Guild of Chefs opens entries to 2026 British Culinary Championships

By: Edward Waddell

The Salon, managed by Central Bedfordshire College in association with the Craft Guild of Chefs is fast becoming one of the top salons in the country. This popular event is growing in stature

02nd Dec 2025

Association of Pastry Chefs launches Dessert of the Year competition

By: Edward Waddell

Competitors will be allowed 60 minutes to prepare, cook and present two identical plates of an original dessert suitable for fine dining. Those competing must consider flavours, textures and the

01st Dec 2025

Craft Guild of Chefs starts search for National Chef Team of the Year winner

By: Edward Waddell

Teams of two will be required to produce eight portions of four distinct small bowl dishes. These dishes should be suitable for a stand-up reception for 20+ guests, with enough variety and substance

01st Dec 2025

Tilda opens entries to 2026 Chef Team of the Year competition

By: Edward Waddell

Tilda is inviting chef teams of two to rise to the challenge of creating a nutritionally balanced, high-protein, high-carb main course that reflects the theme ‘Food as Fuel’. The competition is about

More Competitions News

10th Dec 2011

Frederick Forster from Nuovo wins Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year 2011

His win follows an intense two hour cook off between eight finalists at the Restaurant Show held at Earls Court 2 this week...

10th Dec 2011

Junior sous chef Charles Smith wins Craft Guild's Young National Chef of the Year

Steve Munkley, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: "Charles showed a great understanding for the ingredients he...

10th Oct 2011

Junior sous chef Charles Smith wins Craft Guild's Young National Chef of the Year

Steve Munkley, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: "Charles showed a great understanding for the ingredients he...

05th Oct 2011

Philadelphia Young Chef of the Year Crowned

Nuannapa Ratanakitsunthorn faced stiff competition from Nicole Waefler, Zoe Lewis and Danny Hoang, but her imaginative dish...

08th Sep 2011

The Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year 2011 finalists announced

Following four intense semi final heats– one held at Sheffield College and three at Westminster Kingsway College in London...

04th Sep 2011

The Craft Guild of Chefs announces the candidates for the 2011 Graduate Awards regional heats

Craft Guild vice president Steve Munkley, who pioneered the exams back in 2003, said he was delighted with the increased...

11th Jul 2011

Winnie Myers' teatime challenge

Now in its second year, the competition for students and working chefs will be held at Westminster Kingsway College on...

09th Jul 2011

UK-NZ Culinary Challenge cook off rescheduled for spring 2012

Entries will therefore be accepted after the October 10 2011 deadline, and new cut off dates for applications and the cook...

08th Jul 2011

Four young chefs join the Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Roll of Honour

They were: Daniel Beech, chef de partie at Simon Radley@The Chester Grosvenor & Spa; Rosa Fothergill, chef de partie at the...

04th May 2011

Winners named in the 2011 Channel Islands Chef of the Year contest

Runner up was Saints Bay Hotel chef Ashraf Elsergany and in third place was chef Guiseppe Cerciello Rega from the Absolute...