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

26th Mar 2026

Graduate Awards extend entry deadline to increase opportunity for young chefs

By: Edward Waddell

Entries will now close on Tuesday 7th April 2026, giving kitchens across the UK an extra week to encourage younger members of their teams to take part. Further information and entry details can be

24th Mar 2026

National Chef of the Year extends entry deadline following demand from chefs

By: Edward Waddell

The extension until midnight on Monday 20th April 2026 not only supports chefs who have already begun working on their menus but also opens the door for those who have not yet started an entry, giving

17th Mar 2026

Nestlé Professional reveals 12 finalists for 2026 Toque d’Or competition

By: Edward Waddell

The competition is supported by industry partners including Russums and Savoy Educational Trust, who help champion the development of emerging talent across the hospitality sector. Led by chef Kate

17th Mar 2026

UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year reveals 5 finalists

By: Edward Waddell

The road to restaurant excellence reached a ‘thrilling milestone’ at Lainston House in Winchester, where the semi-final of the UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year 2026 unfolded in ‘spectacular

More Competitions News

21st May 2013

Final heat of Major Series gives gold to WKC student chefs

The competition, organised by Major International and the Craft Guild of Chefs, took place at Westminster Kingsway College...

21st May 2013

The Craft Guild of Chefs' Wessex Salon Culinaire gets underway for 2013

The event takes place from April 3-4 2013 and, for the second year running, will be hosted by Brockenhurst College in...

21st May 2013

Twelve budding chefs set to cook up a storm

Twelve Regional Finalists, chosen from over 7,000 contenders nationwide, will battle it out on Monday 17th March 2008 at the...

21st May 2013

Birmingham chef wins Alaska Seafood Recipe Challenge

The competition, which took place on 15 February in the M&J Seafood development kitchen in London, was organised in...

21st May 2013

Channel Islands Chef of the Year 2012 winners revealed

The competition, now in its fourth year, saw Malcolm Meiers from the Bella Luce Restaurant in Guernsey come first in the...

21st May 2013

Graduate Awards Finals 2009

8 Finalists battle it out to take top spot in this annual event. Music has been removed from this version.

21st May 2013

Craft Guild's London Division announces winners of the Winnie Myers Traditional Afternoon Tea Challenge

Westminster Kingsway College (WKC) students Eran Shina and John James-Meneses came second and third respectively, while in...

21st May 2013

New additions for the Winnie Myers Afternoon Tea competition

The closing date for entries has been extended until April 12 to allow for latecomers to enter following the Wessex Salon...

21st May 2013

CHEF and Tilda get together at Hotelympia to set the Skillery alight

CHEF brand manager Emma Walker said: "This year, we're going about things differently. We're passionate about working harder...

20th May 2013

Young National Chef of the Year ambassador gets stuck into new role

Sargeant, chef proprietor of Rocksalt in Folkestone and 2002 National Chef of the Year winner, said 21st century innovation...