After a hiatus of five years, the cheffing competition is back to showcase flourishing talent across region
The Young North West Chef of the Year competition is set to make a triumphant return and will showcase the next generation of culinary talent in the region.
During a visit to Skof in Manchester, Brian Mellor - founder and chair of the competition - was having dinner with Caroline Wright - long time friend and Managing Director of Taste Hospitality Recruitment - when Skof’s celebrated Chef Patron Tom Barnes enquired about a potential return of the competition.
Founded in 2001, the competition has given hundreds of young chefs the opportunity to test their skills against their peers whilst receiving valuable feedback from leading chefs.
The competition was naturally paused during the pandemic. Mellor explained “we had planned to go again in 2022, but then the cost-of-living crisis hit; and, as someone who lost my own business during COVID and was still trying to recover, it was unfair to ask independents to commit to the competition at that time”.
In the last few months, however, the pair have encountered a renewed enthusiasm for the competition. “I said to Brian on the night maybe we should get our heads together and see if this is something that would run, and every conversation I've had since, tells me that this is the right thing to do” Caroline added “I think it’s important for Young Chefs to have that springboard; it’s an amazing thing to be able to put on your CV, and an amazing achievement for a burgeoning career.”
In previous years, winners and other entrants have progressed to the Young National Chef of the Year, and they are working closely with the Craft Guild of Chefs to ensure it continues.
“There is a gorgeous defiance in our Hospitality family, we get battered, bruised, appreciated and celebrated in equal measure, depending on what’s happening out there. Yet always, when we're ready, we stick our heads up and say, ‘ok, what’s next?’” “We think it's the perfect time to get this competition back up and running: Chefs are asking, we are responding.”
More information about the competition is expected to be announced soon.
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