The countdown has begun for the 2011 Craft Guild National Chef of the Year challenge

Forty leading chefs have been chosen to go forward to the semi final cook offs for the Craft Guild of Chefs' prestigious National Chef of the Year (TNCOTY) competition.

The cook offs will be spread over two days. The first takes place at Sheffield College on September 5 and the second at Westminster Kingsway College in London on September 8, and these will decide who goes through to the live final at the Restaurant Show at Earls Court 2 in London on October 11 for a chance to win the title.

Now in its 39th year, TNCOTY is one of the most respected and sought after culinary titles. Its revised format, which was introduced last year, has helped develop the contest into one that celebrates the growing multi culinary cultures in the UK.

The categories this year cover modern British/European, Asian/Oriental and Rest of the World/Other, and each of the semi finalists will produce a three course lunch menu based on one of these cuisine styles.

The semi finalists are:
James Baker, sous chef, ESS Support Services
Marcus Bean, chef owner, The New Inn
James Buckley, executive chef UCL, Compass Group
David Bush, senior chef de partie, House of Commons
Pratap Chahal, head chef, The Peasant
Paul Anthony Cunliffe, head chef, Crown Hotel
Michael Dipple, junior sous chef, Cannizaro House
Glenn Evans, development chef, Reynolds Catering Supplies
Gary Fish, hospitality manager, Bite Catering
Frederick Forster, head chef, 44 Restaurant & Lounge
Justin Galea, head chef, Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort
Hayden Groves, executive chef, Lloyds of London, Avenance
Daniel Jones, head chef, The Harp Inn
Imthiaz Kader, head chef, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge
Diane Kay, sous chef, Carlton Club
Selin Kiazim, sous chef, Kopapa
Peter Knibb, chef proprietor, Restaurant 23
Ashwani Kumar, head chef, Mango Lounge Windsor
Joe McCafferty, senior chef de partie, ROKA restaurant
Palash Mitra, sous chef, The Cinnamon Club
Ian Morgan, executive chef, Cucina
Martin Nisbet, Angelus Restaurant
Ryan Perratt, head chef, The National Café, Peyton and Byrne
Robert Potter, sous chef, Lucknam Park Hotel
Sudha Shankar Saha, executive chef, Saffron
Sujan Sarkar, head chef, Automat Restaurant
Hansel Sheldon, executive sous chef, The Dorchester Collection
Kevin Sutherland, executive services senior sous chef, Barclays Bank, BaxterStorey
Michael Tate, chef de partie, Harvey Nichols, Manchester
Daniel Towell, head chef, Avenance
Dez Turland, group development chef, Brend Hotels, Saunton Sands
Ernustus Van Zyl, chef practical tutor, Devere Hospitality Academy
Adrian Vaughan, senior sous chef, Runnymede on Thames
Simon Webb, head chef, Restaurant Associates
Alyn Williams, chef patron, The Westbury
Joo Young Won, senior sous chef, Galvin@Windows Restaurant
Andrew Wong, chef, Bumbles Restaurant
Simon Woods, chef lecturer, Westminster Kingsway College
Andrew Wright, chef, Arden Hotel
Terry Wright, head chef, Compass Group

Words: Sheila Eggleston

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