Overall South West Chef of the Year, Harrison Brockington, pictured with Dr Andrew Kemp MBE (Bidfood), Lauren Parker (Ritter Courivaud) and Michael Caines MBE DL
The 2024 results
The 20th anniversary South West Chef of the Year competition concluded when three thrilling finals took place at Exeter College on 29th October, a few weeks after the finals of South West Home Cook and Junior Chef of the Year .
The finals were followed by a wonderful celebration of all competitors, and the 20th anniversary of the competition, at Exeter Golf and Country Club when the winners were announced as outlined below.
Four of our judges for the professional and student/apprentice chef finals (left to right): Chris Cleghorn, Hywel Jones, Scott Paton and Nathan Outlaw.
We would like to thank our prestigious panel of judges for this year’s finals: Michael Caines, Chris Cleghorn, Peter Gorton, Neil Haydock, Hywel Jones, Tim Kendall, Harriet Mansell, Matt Mason, Nathan Outlaw, Scott Paton, Rob Potter, Chris Tanner, Seth Ward and Ian Webber .
And a big thank you to all the staff and students at Exeter College for their help and support at the competitions.
Thank you very much to our generous sponsors (outlined below) for enabling us to stage the competition.
All photographs below by Steve Haywood Photography – you can follow Steve’s work on Instagram
Ingredients for the finals and our awards dinner were very kindly supplied by M C Kelly Ltd., Flying Fish Seafoods, Dole Foodservice, Bidfood and Ritter Courivaud.
Keep scrolling to read all about our incredible anniversary dinner and awards evening, when dinner was prepared by four Michelin-starred chefs, all judges of the competition, alongside three previous winners!
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists in 2024 outlined below:
South West Overall Chef of the Year
Sponsored by Ritter Courivaud and Ritter Fresh
WINNER: Harrison Brockington
Head Chef, Gather, Totnes, Devon
South West Professional Chef of the Year
WINNER: Harrison Brockington
Head Chef, Gather, Totnes, Devon
Finalists were asked to prepare a three-course menu (starter, main and dessert) using the following compulsory protein ingredients and a mystery box of ingredients, presented to them 30 minutes before the competition began.
- Venison loin
- Sea Bass
- Mussels
- Clams
Harrison’s Menu
Starter:
Sea Bass, celeriac, mussel and clam blanquette
Main:
Venison, garden vegetables, homity pie
Dessert:
Orchard fruit tartefine, cinnamon, caramel
See below for details of all finalists and their dishes
South West Young Professional Chef of the Year
Sponsored by Essential Cuisine
WINNER: Keren Fry
Junior Sous Chef, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon
Finalists were asked to prepare a three-course menu (starter, main and dessert) using the following compulsory protein ingredients and a mystery box of ingredients, presented to them 30 minutes before the competition began.
- Duck
- Brill
- Mussels
- Clams
Keren’s Menu
Starter:
Brill, mussels, brassicas
Main:
Duck, celeriac, hazelnut
Dessert:
Chocolate, raspberry, almond
South West Student/Apprentice Chef of the Year
Sponsored by Nisbets
WINNER: Toby Pyne
The Peterville Inn, St Agnes and Truro and Penwith College, Cornwall
Finalists were asked to prepare a two-course menu (starter and main) using the following compulsory protein ingredients:
- Chicken
- Lemon Sole
- Mussels
Toby’s Menu
Starter:
Steamed Lemon Sole with Sole mousse, beurre blanc sauce, pickled mussels, Parisienne vegetables
Main:
Chicken Supreme with braised leek, steamed corn, glazed carrot, pomme dauphine, chicken jus
South West Home Cook of the Year
WINNER: Lucinda Ellicott
Paignton, Devon
Finalists in this class were asked to prepare a main course and a dessert using a choice of two protein ingredients and a range of dessert ingredients:
- Venison loin OR Sea Bass
- Autumn fruits and berries
Lucinda’s Menu
Main:
Pan fried loin of venison with chocolate, beetroot and purple yam crisps
Dessert:
Three layer blueberry mousse cheesecake
South West Junior Chef of the Year
Sponsored by Michael Caines Ltd.
WINNER: Lexie Colley
Churchdown School Academy, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Mentored by Nathan Johnson, The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath (South West Chef of the Year 2022)
Competitors were asked to prepare a main course dish for our judges comprising principally locally-sourced ingredients. After winning the finals in their own counties initially, they then worked on their dishes with their mentor chefs to adapt and enhance them for the South West final.
Lexie’s dish
Pan seared duck breast with a red wine jus, pomme purée, honey carrots, garlic tenderstem broccoli, beetroot purée and blackberries
Best Showcase of Regional Ingredients
WINNER: Toby Pyne
The Peterville Inn, St Agnes and Truro and Penwith College, Cornwall
(Student/Apprentice Chef winner)
Starter:
Steamed Lemon Sole with Sole mousse, beurre blanc sauce, pickled mussels, Parisienne vegetables
Main:
Chicken Supreme with braised leek, steamed corn, glazed carrot, pomme dauphine, chicken jus
Best Menu
WINNER: Ollie Stonefrost
Demi Chef de Partie, Lucknam Park, Bath
(Young Professional Chef finalist)
Ollie’s Menu
Starter:
Brill with mussels, leeks, salsify, clam beurre blanc
Main:
Roast duck, glazed carrot, cabbage, blackberries, cauliflower purée, duck jus
Dessert:
Apple and hazelnut millefeuille, spiced ice cream
Best Presentation
Sponsored by Churchill
Winner: Finn Clark
Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton and Exeter College, Devon
(Student/Apprentice Chef finalist)
Our judges chose Finn as the recipient of this award for his whole menu, which consisted of a starter of Lemon Sole, mussels and apple and a main course dish of chicken, white pudding and celeriac.
Best Dish
WINNER: Harrison Brockington
Head Chef, Gather, Totnes, Devon
(Overall and Professional Chef winner)
For his starter of Sea Bass, celeriac, mussel and clam blanquette
See below for the names of all other finalists
With many thanks to our lead sponsor: Bidfood
Thank you to Exeter College who kindly hosted our finals.
Thank you to our sponsors who kindly supplied ingredients for our finals:
MC Kelly Ltd. / Flying Fish Seafoods / Dole Foodservice / Ritter Courivaud / Bidfood
Professional Chef Category
Simon Davies
Head Chef, The Rising Sun, Altarnun, Cornwall
Starter:
Venison, beetroot, cabbagte, pumpkin seeds, jus
Main:
Bass, rosti, celeriac, leek, mussels, clams
Dessert:
Lemon posset, blackberries, meringue, shortbread
Ben Godiff
Sous Chef, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon
Starter:
Bass, potato, clams
Main:
Venison, celeriac, cocoa
Dessert:
Financier, apple, hazelnut
Wyn Jones
Sous Chef, Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Starter:
Venison, carpaccio, celeriac, pickled blackberry, beetroot
Main:
Line-caught Sea Bass, mussel and clam velouté, roast artichoke, leek
Dessert:
Caramelised pear, chocolate crémeux, toasted hazelnut, salted caramel ice cream
Young Professional Chef Category
Emiley Clark
Chef de Partie, The Farm Table, Darts Farm, Topsham, Devon
Starter:
Pan fried Brill, pickled mussels and clams, hollandaise sauce
Main:
Pan fried duck breast, burnt cauliflower purée, glazed carrots, red wine sauce
Dessert:
Autumn spiced tartlet
Ollie Stonefrost
Demi Chef de Partie, Lucknamn Park, Bath
Starter:
Brill with mussels, leeks, salsify, clam beurre blanc
Main:
Roast duck, glazed carrot, cabbage, blackberries, cauliflower purée, duck jus
Dessert:
Apple and hazelnut millefeuille, spiced ice cream
Owen-John Vincent
Senior Chef de Partie, The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath
Starter:
Pan roasted Brill, shellfish beurre blanc, clams, mussels, poached leek
Main:
Duck, salt-baked beetroot, salsify, red wine jus
Dessert:
Burnt butter parfait, apple purée, poached pear
Student/Apprentice Chef Category
Charlie Campbell
Barbican Kitchen, Plymouth and City College Plymouth, Devon
Starter:
Lemon Sole, fennel pollen, leeks, mussels, Vermouth beurre blanc and chives
Main:
Rolled supreme of chicken, truffle and tarragon, braised lentils de puy, Hen of the Woods and cavolo nero
Finn Clark
Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton and Exeter College, Devon
Starter:
Lemon Sole, mussels, apple
Main:
Chicken, white pudding, celeriac
Aimee Crawley
Monkton Elm Garden Centre, Taunton and Bridgwater and Taunton College, Somerset
Starter:
Grilled Lemon Sole with roasted fennel, mussels, foam sauce and almonds
Main:
Pecan coated chicken breast with stuffed leg, cauliflower purée, florets and cauliflower couscous with calvanera and whisky jus
Home Cook Category
Tareq Assaf
Bath
Main:
Venison two ways with bacon and green peppercorns
Dessert:
Decorated chocolate dome with fruit ganache filling on a red tuille mat
Oscar Egbulam
Bedminster, Bristol
Main:
Fish and chips with coleslaw
Dessert:
Fruit and berry mini pies
Junior Chef Category
Competitions were held in each of the six counties of the South West during June and July and the winners in each county met at the final. Each benefitted from mentoring from one of our county judges in preparation for the final. Two competitors were selected as joint winners in Cornwall.
2nd place
Harry
Dorset Junior Chef of the Year
Lytchett Minster School, Poole
Mentored by Sam Hughes, Rick Stein Sandbanks
Dorset fillet steak with Blue Vinny sauce, Pommes Anna, bunrt Roscoff onions and Lion’s Mane mushroom
3rd place
James
Wilsthire Junior Chef of the Year
St John’s School, Marlborough
Mentored by Hywel Jones, Lucknam Park, Bath
Home-cured pancetta tortellini with a touch of butternut squash
Freya
Joint Cornwall Junior Chef of the Year
Penrice Academy, St Austell, Cornwall
Chalk Stream Trout, cauliflower, sea greens, hazelnut, Squid ink tuille
Kai
Somerset Junior Chef of the Year
Merchants Academy, Withywood, Bristol
Mentored by Olly Jackson, The Mount Somerset Hotel, Lower Henlade
Venison leg cooked in hay with roast celeriac, braised red cabbage and tenderstem broccoli
Sam
Joint Cornwall Junior Chef of the Year
Penrice Academy, St Austell, Cornwall
Mentored by Pete Murt, Head Chef, Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant, Padstow
Pan fried duck breast with creamy mashed potato, sticky shallots, spinach, duck leg bonbon and red wine sauce
Tom
Devon Junior Chef of the Year
Trinity School, Teignmouth, Devon
Mentored by Scott Paton, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton
Surf ‘n Turf ravioli with a dill and lime hollandaise and roasted garlic king prawn
2024 Awards Evening
The winners of the 2024 competition were announced at an awards presentation evening and 20th anniversary celebration at Exeter Golf and Country Club, immediately following the finals on 29th October.
The presentations followed a wonderful meal prepared by four Michelin-starred chefs, all judges of South West Chef of the Year, and three previous winners of the competition.
Starter
Chris Cleghorn
Michelin-starred Executive Head Chef, The Olive Tree, Bath
South West Chef of the Year judge
Fish
Hywel Jones
Executive Chef, Lucknam Park, Bath
South West Chef of the Year judge
and
Andrew Jenkinson
South West Overall and Professional Chef of the Year 2023
and
Jamaar Semper
Sous Chef, The Methuen Arms, Corsham
South West Young Professional Chef of the Year 2019
Main
Scott Paton
Michelin-starred Executive Chef, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton
South West Young Professional Chef of the Year 2009 and now judge
and
Joe Cotton
Senior Sous Chef, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton
South West Professional Chef of the Year 2022
Dessert
Michael Caines MBE DL
Michelin-starred Chef Patron, Lympstone Manor, Exmouth
South West Chef of the Year co-founder and head judge
Chalk Stream Trout, cured, fermented carrot, Miyagawa mandarin
Paired with 2023 Chablis, St Martin, Domaine Laroche, Chablis, France
kindly supplied by Liberty Wines
Mevagissey Seabass, Salcombe Bay crab, Autumn brassicas, verjus
Paired with 2023 Single Vineyard Albarino, Bodegas Garzon, Maldonaldo, Uruguay
kindly supplied by Liberty Wines
Venison, salsify, cocoa
Paired with 2017 Rioja Vina Lanciano Reserva, Bodegas LAN, Rioja, Spain
kindly supplied by Liberty Wines
Alunga milk chocolate mousse, chestnut, bergamot, tonka bean ice cream
Paired with Chambers Rosewood Rutherglen Liqueur Muscat, Victoria, Australia
kindly supplied by Liberty Wines
The evening began with a drinks reception when guests enjoyed
Four Seas Gin kindly supplied by Salcombe Gin
served with Devon Tonic kindly supplied by Luscombe
and
Sicilian Lemonade and Elderflower Bubbly kindly supplied by Luscombe
along with canapés prepared by our chefs.
The meal concluded with coffee and petits fours kindly supplied by Peltier and Caines French Patisserie
With many thanks to: Flying Fish Seafoods who supplied all fish and seafood; MC Kelly who supplied the meats; Dole who supplied all fresh produce and Ritter Courivaud who supplied dry and specialised goods.
Wines were paired for each course and supplied by Liberty Wines
The chefs were supported in the kitchen and front of house by students of the Michael Caines Academy and staff at the Exeter Golf and Country Club