Designed to celebrate culinary talent across the business, the competition invites chef teams from Searcys venues to develop menus paired with a selection of Laurent-Perrier cuvées, showcasing creativity, innovation and technical excellence.

Across the Searcys estate, the competition brings together senior and junior chefs to collaborate on seasonal, ingredient-led menus that highlight flavour pairing and culinary innovation.  

The top three teams will prepare and present their full menu on Tuesday 28th July before an expert judging panel featuring senior Searcys representatives and Laurent-Perrier ambassadors. The winning menu may be asked to present their menu at a key Searcys entertainment event for clients.

Judges include Paul Jackson, managing director at Searcys; Richard Lewis, UK sales director at Laurent-Perrier; and two-Michelin-starred chef Alex Dilling of Hotel Café Royal.

The winning team will receive a two-day trip to Champagne Laurent-Perrier in Tours-sur-Marne, including travel via Eurostar, accommodation, a private Maison visit and a restaurant experience in Champagne.

Richard Oxley, group executive chef at Searcys, said: “The Searcys Chef of the Year competition is a fantastic opportunity for our teams to showcase not only their creativity and culinary skills but also their understanding of seasonal British produce and the art of pairing exceptional dishes with champagne.

“Competitions like this give our chefs the platform to push the boundaries and demonstrate the passion that defines Searcys. Most importantly it’s a chance to proudly represent the Searcys name and the high standards of excellence we are known for.”