This event is a key milestone in the journey to the YNCOTY final and during the day each sponsor could speak to all finalists in a ten-minute bespoke workshop. Allan Reeder’s session began with an introduction from Heidi and James Reeder, who shared their story of the last 50 years.

The presentation highlighted the company’s commitment to quality and its evolving role in supporting chefs with both traditional dairy products and modern plant-based alternatives. To make this session interactive, Allan Reeder invited chef Ronnie Murray to work with the finalists.

Ronnie crafted a series of dishes using either dairy or plant-based ingredients, challenging the chefs to guess which was which using cards inspired by the classic game ‘Mr and Mrs’. The dishes were deliberately tricky to identify, sparking discussion amongst the young chefs, mentors and judges.

Ronnie also shared his own tips and insights on working with plant-based alternatives, encouraging the finalists to explore new techniques and flavours.

Reflecting on the day, he said: “It was brilliant to see how open-minded and enthusiastic the finalists were. The guessing game was a fun way to get them thinking differently about ingredients, and I loved sharing ideas that might help them in their future careers.”

To commemorate their experience as a Young National Chef of the Year finalist, Allan Reeder partnered with the Japanese Knife Company to gift each finalist a high-quality engraved knife. Renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship, the Japanese Knife Company offers a wide range of traditional and modern Japanese blades, professional cooking products and expert advice and services.

Heidi and Ronnie personally selected the knives, had them engraved, and presented them to the finalists ensuring each young chef left with a lasting memento and a professional tool to support their culinary journey.

For the Allan Reeder team, the mentor day was a valuable opportunity to connect with the finalists, share knowledge, and celebrate the future of British cuisine.

James Reeder commented: “After driving around the country delivering Allan Reeder goody bags to the semi-finalists, it was fantastic to meet them again at the mentor day. We’d like to wish them all the best of luck for the final next week.”