Pub chefs make National Awards of Excellence final

27-Apr-2014 - Last updated on 11-Mar-2017 at 19:27 GMT

Two pub chefs have made the final of the kitchen category of the National Awards of Excellence, which will be held in London on 13 May.

Robin McCrindle, chef at Tom Kerridge’s two-Michelin starred Hand & Flowers, in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and Quentin Helene, from ETM Group's Gun in London’s Docklands, successfully passed a series of theory and cooking challenges to take their places among the 16 finalists. The competition is run by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.

Tasks included preparing mackerel, boning and cleaning a guinea fowl, and preparing a chicken mousse.

Chefs from London establishments Le Gavroche, the Ritz and the Langham Hotel will also feature in the final.

Service star

Matthew Whitaker, who works at the Nut Tree Inn, in Murcott, Oxfordshire has made the final of the service category, which takes place at both Le Gavroche on 10 May and at the Connaught Hotel two days later.

To make the final, Whitaker was tested on a range of food and beverage service aspects in a one-hour theory paper and a judging interview.

Candidates who achieve the Award of Excellence will be invited to a gala evening in July at a venue to be announced.

Awards of Excellence judges include Heston Blumenthal, owner of the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, and Ritz chief executive John Williams.