Record number of pubs reach semi-finals of prestigious chef competition

Six pub/bar chefs are among the 44 chefs to have been selected as semi-finalists.

Semi-finalists in the Modern British/European category are Paul O’Malley, senior sous chef at the Butchers Shop Bar and Grill; in Glasgow; Adam Thomason, head chef of Fuller’s Wykeham Arms, Winchester, Hampshire; Ian Boden, development chef at Mitchells & Butler’s Innovation Centre; Daniel Kerr, head chef at Peach Pub Company’s Old Mill, Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire and Matthew Thomson, head chef at Ribble Valley Inn’s Highwayman, Burrow, Lancashire.

Premila Fernando, sous chef at the Buddha Bar, Knightsbridge, London, is a semi-finalist in the Asian/Oriental and Rest of World category.

David Mulcahy, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: “We have had an increase into this year’s semi finals of pubs which we believe may be due to the increase in quality of food now offered in pubs. This year there was an increase in the focus of seasonality, provenance etc; which is also prominent within pubs.”

The semi-finals take place at Sheffield College on June 18 and the University of West London on July 2 and 3.

From the 44 semi-finalists, eight will be selected to compete as finalists at The Restaurant Show in London on Tuesday, October 8.

Former winners of the competition include Gordon Ramsay, Simon Hulstone, Mark Sargeant and Frederick Forster.