Seen as the UK’s most prestigious and respected culinary content, the National Chef Of The Year competition helped to launch careers and opportunities for some of the biggest names in the UK’s chef world.
This year's NCOTY criteria focuses on chefs’ experiences of the past year's global pandemic.
The chefs were asked to create a 3-course menu which captures the past year and how their relationship with food, food producers and suppliers affected them.
On August 13th , NCOTY finalists were revealed by the renowned chefs Paul Ainsworth and David Mulcahy.
Down from 33 to just twelve, the finalists will cook at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu and the final will air at a VIP red-carpet premiere at the Everyman Broadgate cinema on 21st October.
The 12 finalists are:
Marc Billings, head chef, Prestwold Hall and Hall Barns at Prestwold, Leicestershire
Ben Boeynaems, executive chef, The Beaumont Hotel, London
Ross Brown, chef de partie, BaxterStorey, London
Iain Gourlay, head chef, Cringletie House Hotel, Scottish Borders
Elliot Hill, head chef, Panoramic 34, Liverpool
Christopher Niven, executive chef, Marine North Berwick, East Lothian
Russell Plowman, senior sous chef, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Perthshire
Stefan Sewell, head chef, RAF, Suffolk
Jack Shaw, head chef, Lexington Catering/ Savills, London
Adam Smith, sous chef, Gravetye Manor, Sussex
Thomas Swaby, head chef, Inverlochy Castle, Fort William
Gary Townsend, head chef, 1 Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow