The finalists in the region’s most prestigious chef competition have today been revealed.

The announcement of the shortlist for the South West Chef of the Year 2023 follows the completion of the first rounds of judging. And the chefs, who will compete for glory at the finals at Exeter College on Tuesday, October 24, come from pubs, restaurants, hotels and even a school, from all six counties across the region.

The competition was established in 2003 and is the only culinary competition in the UK that recognises professional chefs, student chefs, junior cooks and home cooks. It is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading culinary competitions.

For the semi-finals competitors prepared a starter and main course incorporating compulsory protein ingredients which were supplied for the contest by Flying Fish Seafoods and MC Kelly. The judges were chefs Michael Caines, Richard Davies, Neil Haydock, Tim Kendall, Matt Mason, Rob Potter, Scott Paton and Seth Ward.

Neil Haydock, Executive Chef at The Watergate Bay Hotel, Newquay, said: “The semi finals set a high bar for the final on October 24. Congratulations to those going through. For those who didn’t make it this time, know it was one of the most consistent arrays of dishes we have seen in a long time, creating much deliberation amongst the judges. The difference between progressing to the final and not was down to the finest of margins. I’m looking forward to the finals and seeing those who didn’t make it come back next year and smash it!”

The category finalists are:

Professional Chef:

· Simon Davies, Head Chef, The Rising Sun, Altarnun, Cornwall

· Ben Godiff, Sous Chef, Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon

· Andrew Jenkinson, Head Chef, Lucknam Park, Bath

· Wyn Jones, Sous Chef, Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, Gloucestershire

Young Professional Chef:

· Luke Bryant, Chef de Partie, Clockspire Restaurant, Milborne Port, Sherborne, Dorset

· Harrison Miller, Blundells School, Tiverton, Devon

· Lewis Nicholas, Junior Sous Chef, Lympstone Manor, Lympstone, Devon

· Shangen Yen, Commis Chef, Lucknam Park, Bath

Student/Apprentice Chef semi-finalists:

· Becky Birchall, City College Plymouth and Fletcher’s Restaurant, Plymouth, Devon

· Perran Clark, Petroc College and New Coast Kitchen, Croyde, Devon

· Lottie Gentile, Truro & Penwith College and The Idle Rocks, St Mawes, Cornwall

· Ben Greenhalf, Exeter College and Gather, Totnes, Devon

· Jayden Watson, Plymouth High School and Lympstone Manor, Exmouth, Devon

Home Cook finalists:

· Tareq Assaf, Bath, Somerset

· Lucinda Ellicott, Paignton, Devon

· Aneta Staciwa, Redruth, Cornwall

Junior Chef finalists (and mentors)

· Freya – Penrice Academy, St Austell, Cornwall Mentor judge: Tim Kendall, The Barley Sheaf, Gorran and The Rising Sun, Altarnun

· William – Hayle Academy, Hayle, Cornwall Mentor judge: Pete Murt, The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow

· Jessica – Torquay Girls’ Grammar School, Torquay, Devon Mentor judge: Mark Dodson, The Masons Arms, Knowstone

· Elijah – St Peter’s School, Southbourne, Dorset Mentor judge: Sam Hughes, Rick Stein, Sandbanks

· Catherine – Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire Mentor judge: Richard Davies, Calcot Manor, Tetbury

· Theo – Westfield Academy, Yeovil, Somerset Mentor judge: Chris Cleghorn, The Olive Tree, Queensberry Hotel, Bath

· Akshatha – South Wilts Grammar, Salisbury, Wiltshire Mentor judge: Hywel Jones, Lucknam Park, Bath

The county finals for the junior chef category, which is open to young cooks aged 11-16, took place in June. The winners in each county, listed below, will meet at their final, along with the home cook finalists on October 7 at Exeter College, with the winners being announced at the dinner on October 24.

Each young finalist in the junior chef category has benefited from mentoring from one of the county judges during the summer. Two competitors could not be split at the Cornwall final and so the judges chose to award the title jointly to both.

The results of this year’s competition will be announced at the glitzy awards presentation evening, immediately following the finals, on October 24 at Exeter Golf and Country Club. The event is open to all and will feature the best in local produce all prepared by three leading chefs, who are former winners and/or judges of South West Chef of the Year.

For more information, or to book tickets, visit southwestchef.co.uk/awards-evening