The Craft Guild of Chefs Awards are seen as the chefs’ Oscars recognising the exceptional talent across the whole of our industry. The awards ceremony is taking place on 1st June at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.

The Craft Guild of Chef Awards Culinary Hero Award is voted for by the organisations members and other industry colleagues. Nominations were sought for chefs from any part of the hospitality and catering industry for a specific achievement or for commitment over many years.

The criteria for nomination included having a proven track record, be a highly professional craftsperson, demonstrate a true passion for food as well as showing clear examples of excellence and achievement in their field. The five nominees are:

Matt Abe, Chef Patron – Restaurant Gordon Ramsay: Matt has participated in many charity initiatives, including the Table Talk Foundation, which raises funds to provide food education to children and support the hospitality industry, and he is also a Brand Ambassador for La Font, a brand committed to providing high quality and innovative workwear to trade and craft industries. 

Paul Askew, Chef Patron – The Art School: Paul actively encourages and helps young chefs enter the key annual awards; in 2021 Beth Disley achieved The Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Award for Pastry 2021, following on from Junior Sous Chef Edwin Kuk winning Young National Chef of the Year 2021.

Darren Passmore, Executive Chef – Compass Group and Rustic Rhubarb: Darren’s core strength is that he understands the transformative power of food and uses it to improve lives – from the patients when he worked in a hospital, customers within his current workplace to the people with learning disabilities he teaches cookery skills to in his spare time.  

Gary Townsend, Head Chef - One Devonshire Garden: Gary has always been held in highest respect from all of his team working alongside him and from all observations has always an excellent example of how a Head chef should be Immaculate, polite, calm and above all mentioned the driving force and rock for any team he has worked with.

Colin Wheeler-James, Development Chef – Ground Up Cookery & IMCD Group: Colin has long supported the green social prescription 'Resilient Young Minds' by delivering a co-designed foraging workshop during this nature-based wellbeing programme that is aimed at supporting young people 18-25-years-old experiencing mental health challenges, deprivation and social isolation.

Read more about the Craft Guild of Chef Awards Culinary Hero Award finalists and cast your vote (voting closes on 5th May 2023).