Pub chef reaches Knorr National Chef semi-finals
A pub chef has reached the semi-finals of the Knorr National Chef of the Year 2008 competition.
James Rogers, chef/licensee at the Grundisburgh Dog in Grudisburgh, Suffolk, is one of 40 chefs who will compete in semi-finals around the UK.
Contestants had to devise a three-course lunch menu for four people; following the format of one hot and one cold canapé, a main course created from a regional breed of pork followed by their take on a traditional British pudding. The 40 semi-finalists will now go through to five semi-final cook offs where they will create their menus in front of a live audience and panel of respected judges.
The grand final will be held at the Restaurant Show on 7 October 2008. The overall winner will be crowned KNORR National Chef of the Year 2008 at a gala awards event and presented with £10,000 prize money.
Paper judges included Andrew Bennett, Sheraton Park Lane Hotel; Gary Hunter, Westminster Kingsway College; Captain Geoff Acott, DFSS; Mike Allen, DFSS; Duncan Holloway, Eton College and Richard Hunt, formerly of the Felbridge Hotel.
Past winners include: Eyck Zimmer, Steve Love, Mark Sargeant, Bruce Sangster and Gordon Ramsay.
David Mulcahy, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs said: "The 40 chefs come from a wide range of establishments and backgrounds which should make the next stage of the competition very interesting indeed."
