13.10.25
Keira Carolan from Henrock has wowed the judges and claimed the prestigious title of the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Young National Chef of the Year, after serving up three exceptional plates at the University of West London. Her winning menu included a starter of Monkfish, Mussels, Nasturtium and Preserved Tomato, a main course of Chicken, Foraged Mushrooms, Kales and Celeriac, with Preserved Strawberry, Apple Marigold, Sheep’s Yogurt and Honey for dessert.
Keira’s dishes were served up on a Dudson White Organic Coupe Bowl, Super Vitrified Isla Walled Plate and Super Vitrified Delta Grey Profile Wide Rim Bowl courtesy of Churchill. The judges felt the menu showcased creativity, strong technical skill and a deep understanding of flavour.
The results were unveiled at a VIP Awards evening at The Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square. Taking the runner-up spot was Oliver Redgewell-Welch from Entier Ltd, with Mitchell Collins from L’Enclume securing a well-deserved third place.
This year’s final was judged by an exciting new panel of culinary experts, alongside returning Chair of Judges Russell Bateman, who led the process with a brief designed to challenge and inspire. Finalists were tasked with delivering a three-course menu in just two hours, responding to a thought-provoking brief that celebrated innovation, sustainability, and seasonality.
Russell Bateman, culinary development chef for TheTasteLab at Classic Fine Foods UK said: “Being Chair of Judges for Young National Chef of the Year has been one of the highlights of my career so far. Mentoring the future talent in hospitality is so important to me and over the last two years I’ve been blown away by the ideas and level of cooking I’ve seen from young chefs. Congratulations to Keira who absolutely smashed it. She was consistent across all three courses delivering three delicious plates of food whilst being technically brilliant.”
David Mulcahy, competition director, added: “We always ensure this competition pushes young chefs to go outside their comfort zones whilst giving them the opportunity to cook for some of the most respected names in the industry. It’s the toughest culinary challenge in the UK for this age group, but every single finalist has risen to it and created dishes they should be proud of. We’ve got an incredible winner in Keira and the Craft Guild of Chefs will be following her career and supporting every step of the way.”
The judging panel included chefs Daniel Galmiche, Ben Murphy, Adam Smith, Paul Askew, Roberta Hall-McCarron, Graham Hornigold, Denis Drame, Orry Shand, Sarah Frankland, Paul Mannering and Hayden Groves.
Heidi Reeder commented: “This has been our first year sponsoring the competition and we have loved every second. From James doing a tour of the UK and visiting the semi-finalists back in July to the mentor experience and then the final, we have been so inspired by every stage of the event. These young chefs are so talented and passionate and it’s been a pleasure to support their journey.”
We will be taking Keira and runners-up Oliver Redgewell-Welch and Mitchell Collins on a memorable visit to Brades Farm in Lancaster. Home to three generations of dedicated farmers. Brades Farm is renowned for its stunning landscape, exceptional animal care, and the high-quality dairy products which are popular across the hospitality industry. The visit promises to be a rich learning experience, offering a behind-the-scenes look at sustainable dairy farming. Keira will also be treated to dinner at the Michelin-starred Trinity Restaurant by Adam Byatt, courtesy of the Allan Reeder team.
