Introducing the 2024 competitors

Thank you very much to everyone who entered this year’s 20th anniversary edition of South West Chef of the Year.  This important milestone is a testament to the incredible talent and passion for food that exists in our region.

Over the past two decades, we have witnessed remarkable growth and innovation in the culinary landscape of the south west, and we are delighted that, through the competition, we have been able to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our talented chefs and cooks, as well as showcase the incredible food larder here in the Westcountry.

Once again this year, the skills and creativity of chefs and home cooks throughout the region is evident in the fantastic array of entries we have received.  A very difficult task awaited our judges but after much deliberation, they have selected those they would like to invite to the next rounds of the competition.

Below you will find details of those invited to take part in the semi-finals of the Professional , Young Professional and Student/Apprentice Chef categories and in the finals of the Home Cook and Junior Chef categories.  The finalists in the Junior Chef category (aged 11-16) were selected by our judges as the winners of the six county finals held during June and July, who will now meet for the South West final.

Andrew Jenkinson, South West Chef of the Year 2023

Andrew receiving his award

Professional Chef category
semi-finalists:

Semi-final to be held on Saturday 28th September at Exeter College

• Tom Bennetts, Head Chef, Driftwood Spars, St Agnes, Cornwall
• Will Bradridge, Sous Chef, Winslade Manor, Clyst St Mary, Devon
• Harrison Brockington, Head Chef, Gather, Totnes, Devon
• Simon Davies, Head Chef, The Rising Sun, Altarnun, Cornwall
• Ben Godiff, Sous Chef, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon
• Robert Jones, Sous Chef, Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant, Padstow, Cornwall
• Wyn Jones, Sous Chef, Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, Gloucestershire
• Harrison Miller, Sous Chef, Blundells School, Tiverton, Devon

Young Professional Chef category
semi-finalists:

Sponsored by Essential Cuisine

Semi-final to be held on Saturday 28th September at Exeter College

• Eternity Bennetts, Chef de Partie, The Mariners, Rock, Cornwall
• Emiley Clark, Chef de Partie, The Farm Table, Darts Farm, Topsham, Devon
• Keren Fry, Junior Sous Chef, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon
• Ben Greenhalf, Commis Chef, Gather, Totnes, Devon
• Bailey Gillard, Demi Chef de Partie, Coast and Country Catering, Exeter, Devon
• Aleesha Moulton, Commis Chef, Lympstone Manor, Exmouth, Devon
• Ollie Stonefrost, Demi Chef de Partie, Lucknam Park, Bath
• Owen-John Vincent, Senior Chef de Partie, The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath

Student/Apprentice Chef category
semi-finalists:

Sponsored by Nisbets

Semi-final to be held on Saturday 28th September at Exeter College

• Charlie Campbell, City College Plymouth and The Barbican Kitchen, Plymouth, Devon
• Finn Clark, Exeter College and Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon
• Aimee Crawley, Bridgwater & Taunton College and Monkton Elm Garden Centre, Taunton, Somerset
• Harley Hacker, Cornwall College St Austell and The Boathouse, Charlestown, Cornwall
• Izzy May, Truro & Penwith College and The Court House Café, Pendeen, Cornwall
• Toby Pyne, Truro & Penwith College and The Peterville Inn, St Agnes, Cornwall
• George Walker, Bridgwater & Taunton College and The Mole Resort, Chittlehamholt, Devon

Home Cook category
finalists:

Final to be held on Saturday 5th October at Exeter College

• Tareq Assaf, Bath, Somerset
• Oscar Egbulam, Bedminster, Bristol
• Lucinda Ellicott, Paignton, Devon

Junior Chef category
finalists:

Sponsored by Michael Caines Ltd.

Finals were held in each of the six counties of the South West during June and July, and the winners in each county listed below, will now meet at the final. Each will benefit from mentoring from one of our county judges in preparation for the final.  Two competitors could not be split at the Cornwall final and so our judges chose to award the title jointly to both!

Final to be held on Saturday 5th October at Exeter College

Cornwall

• Freya –  Penrice Academy, St Austell, Cornwall
• Sam – Penrice Academy, St Austell, Cornwall
  Mentor judge: Pete Murt, Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant, Padstow

Devon

• Tom – Trinity School, Teignmouth, Devon
  Mentor judge: Scott Paton, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon

Dorset

• Harry – Lytchett Minster School, Poole
  Mentor judge: Sam Hughes, Rick Stein, Sandbanks

Gloucestershire

• Lexie – Churchdown School Academy, Gloucester
  Mentor judge: Nathan Johnson, The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath

Somerset

• Kai – Merchants Academy, Bristol
  Mentor judge: Olly Jackson, Mount Somerset Hotel, Henlade

Wiltshire

• James – St John’s School, Marlborough
  Mentor judge: Hywel Jones, Lucknam Park, Bath

Click here for further details of the county finals of the Junior Chef category

Celebration Dinner and Awards Evening

Join us to celebrate our 20th Anniversary and the exceptional culinary talent of the South West on the evening of Tuesday 29th October at Exeter Golf and Country Club, when we will enjoy a unique dinner prepared by judges and previous winners of the competition, followed by the presentation of awards to the winners of South West Chef of the Year 2024.

If you would like to receive further information about this event and how to purchase tickets, click here to get in touch.