Welcome to
National & Young Chef of the Year
Be part of the UK’s most prestigious culinary competitions. The National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year are much more than chef competitions. These inspiring events provide chefs with an exciting opportunity to put themselves in the spotlight and show their culinary talent to the wider hospitality industry. Over the last five decades, NCOTY has put industry names up in lights, boosted careers and given chefs the chance to follow their dreams.
Since The National Chef of the Year’s launch in 1972, previous winners including Gordon Ramsay, Alyn Williams and Mark Sargeant, have seen how it helps fast-track careers and put winners firmly on the map. Being part of this event, whatever stage a chef gets to, creates many opportunities including wider industry and consumer recognition. Young National Chef of the Year launched in 2012 and this competition represents the most talented pool of young chefs in the UK, taking in winners of regional and national competitions and putting them through the ultimate challenge. Only the best, most innovative and creative chefs get a shot at the title and the chance to open doors to future success.
A message from our project director
“Every year I’m inspired by the talent and dedication we see from chefs entering National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year. These competitions are about far more than winning a title. They’re about challenging yourself, learning from the very best in the industry and becoming part of a community that supports one another and helps raise standards across the industry. For many chefs, they can also be the start of opportunities and careers that might otherwise never have happened.
Seeing the passion and creativity from chefs at every stage reminds me exactly why these competitions remain so important. While our focus is firmly on this year’s finalists, we’re also excited to be working on plans for 2027, which will mark the 55th year of National Chef of the Year. It’s a milestone we’re incredibly proud to reach, and we’re determined to make it a celebration worthy of the competition’s remarkable legacy and the many chefs whose careers it has helped shape over the decades.”
