Lexie’s success at FutureChef national final

Lexie’s success continued at the FutureChef national final on 24th March 2025, when she was awarded first runner-up!

Last year saw Lexie taking the title of Gloucestershire Junior Chef of the Year in July, going on to win South West Junior Chef of the Year at the final in October.

Thanks to our partnership with Springboard, the organisers of the FutureChef competition, all of our junior chef finalists are invited to take part in the South West regional FutureChef final (for young cooks in school years 9-11), bypassing the school and local heats.

The regional final took place at City of Bristol College on 23rd January 2025 and four South West Junior Chef of the Year finalists chose to compete – Lexie, Freya, Harry and James.

Lexie was named the winner and went  on to represent the South West in the FutureChef national final on 24th March at the Capital City College Westminster Centre, where she was placed as first runner-up from among 12 extremely talented young chefs.

Well done Lexie!

And many congratulations to the winner of FutureChef 2025, Carys Williams, who was representing Wales.

South West Junior Chef of the Year is open to young cooks aged 11-16, who are asked to submit their recipe for a main course dish, to serve two, using principally locally produced ingredients.

Entries for South West Junior Chef of the Year 2025 open this week!  To find out more visit our Junior Chef page or click here to send us your contact details and we will send on all the information.

Sponsor of South West Junior Chef of the Year:

Lead sponsor of South West Chef of the Year:

Lexie is pictured above with her chef mentor, Jon Howe, from the Michelin-starred Lumière Restaurant in Cheltenham, and with one of the FutureChef judges, Cherish Finden.

Lexie’s dishes at the FutureChef national final 2025:

Duo of mackerel followed by rhubarb soufflé with ginger crumble