Following seven semi-finals around the UK, the Royal Academy has whittled down the entrants to 59 candidates who have reached the standard of excellence required to go through to the finals.

The Award is aimed at young professionals in the hospitality industry, recognising talented chefs, pastry chefs and waiters. Since it began in 1983, over 500 young professionals have achieved the Award.

The Service finals will take place at The Connaught on Tuesday 10th May, Le Gavroche on Saturday 14th May and The Gleneagles Hotel on Monday 23rd May; Kitchen finals will take place at the University of West London on Wednesday 8th June; and Pastry finals will take place at Westminster Kingsway College on Saturday 25th June.

KITCHEN FINALISTS

• Michael Clark - Pompadour by Galvin
• Jack Croft - Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
• Alex Dome - Petersham Nurseries
• Joel Gueller - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Ruth Hansom - The Ritz London
• Edward Marsh - Lucknam Park Hotel
• Adam McKinnon-Brahams - The Ritz London
• Samuel Nash - L'Enclume
• Alex Proudman - Bistro Union
• Hugo Vernochet - Alfred's
• Peter Webster - Beagle Restaurant
• Elly Wentworth - Lucknam Park Hotel

Kitchen semi-final tasks: For the Kitchen semi-finals, which took place at the University of West London, Westminster Kingsway College and University College Birmingham; candidates were required to undertake the following tasks: a theory test; a one hour skills test including preparing vegetables brunoise, cleaning and preparing squid, preparing and filleting a whole sea bass, and preparing French trimmed lamb racks from a whole best end. Candidates were then required to present four portions of a risotto nero; salt bake the sea bass whole; cook the lamb rack with a herb crust; and make an apple tart of their choosing.

PASTRY FINALIST

• Hannah Bagshaw - Hakkasan
• Polly Chan - Yauatcha
• Ethan Flack - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Irish Hacon - The Langham Hotel
• Corrine Jones - Hyatt Regency London The Churchill
• Naomi Longfield - Hakkasan
• Abigail Sole - Marc Patisserie and Bakery
• Faye Weatherburn  - The Ritz London
• Mikaela Wright - The Balmoral Hotel

Pastry semi-final tasks: For the Pastry semi-finals, which took place at University of West London and Westminster Kingsway College; candidates were required to undertake the following tasks: brioche a tete; a decorated Easter egg; caramel mou; tarte au citron; and lunettes de romans (jammy dodgers).

SERVICE FINALIST

• Melanie Ablinger - Luckman Park Hotel
• Ledia Alia - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Mike Ananiassen - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Renecca Bauhofer - Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles
• Stephanie Beresforde - Scott's Restaurant
• Ashley Best - The Ritz London
• Marion Bourgin - Luton Hoo Hotel
• Giuseppe Cola - The Ritz London
• Elise Corneau - Luckman Park Hotel
• Francesco De Santo - The Ritz London
• Lewis Dixon - Northcote Manor
• Daniel Dreiseitel - The Ritz London
• Emma Drummond - The Gleneagles Hotel
• Melissa Fergus - The Fat Duck
• Laudy Gibba-Smith - L'Enclume
• Louis Gillibert - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Innes Haywood - L'Enclume
• Julia Hermann - Galvin La Chapelle
• Christopher Hurle - Trinity Restaurant
• Tomas Kubart - Bar Boulud
• Giuseppe Laboragine - Petrus
• Alexander Macleod - The Balmoral Hotel
• Hannah McConnon - The Gleneagles Hotel
• Emily Morris - The Gleneagles Hotel
• Gerald Murati - The Ritz London
• Remi Orero - The Greenhouse
• James Parums - The Royal Household
• Vincent Passaboc - Bar Boulud
• Callum Rees - The Gleneagles Hotel
• Benjamin Rushworth - The Parkers Arms
• Dominik Schmidbauer - The Lanesborough
• Elena Silveri - The Gleneagles Hotel
• Paula Sobusiak - Outlaw's at The Capital
• Gabriele Sorrentino - The Ritz London
• Christopher Strachan - The Three Chimneys
• Dimitar Tanev - The French by Simon Rogan
• Laura Vernet - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Hannah Watson - The Three Chimneys

Service semi-final tasks: For the Service semi-finals, which took place at The Ritz London and The Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland; candidates were required to sit a one hour theory paper which tested their knowledge on a range of food and beverage service aspects and were interviewed by the judges about their establishments menu and wine list.

JUDGES

• Honorary President of the AAE 2016: HESTON BLUMENTHAL OBE, Chef Patron, The Fat Duck
• Chairman of the AAE: JOHN WILLIAMS MBE, Executive Chef, The Ritz London
• Joint Chairmen of Kitchen: MARTYN NAIL, Executive Chef, Claridge’s and ADAM BYATT, Chef Patron, Trinity
• Joint Chairmen of Pastry: YOLANDE STANLEY MCA, Lecturer in Patisserie, Westminster Kingsway College and SARAH HARTNETT, Head Pastry Chef
• Joint Chairmen of Service: SERGIO REBECCHI, Director, Serenata Hospitality and JOHN COUSINS, Director, The Food and Beverage Training Company