Meet the Women Young National Chef of the Year Finalists for 2024

There are two female chefs competing in Young National Chef of the Year (YNCOTY) finals and both are new to The Craft Guild of Chefs’ competition. Keira Carolan and Rosie Welch both work in restaurants by Simon Rogan in the Lake District.  They were part of twelve talented young chefs who received a special delivery on July 31st 2024. The exclusive YNCOTY chef’s jacket from Continental Chef Supplies confirmed the chefs had done enough to impress the judges and earn one of the much sought-after spots in the final which takes place on Tuesday 8th October.

Rosie Welch chef de partie, L’Enclume, Cartmel was delighted to receive the package and said:

“When I opened my package I was expecting something else entirely so I was completely shocked but over the moon.

This is only my second attempt at a competition so I feel pretty nervous but excited to test myself and see what I can do. The judges represent some of the best chefs and learning from interacting with them is a super special opportunity I’m very grateful for!

I can’t wait to cook what I’ve been working on and show the judges and my peers what I can do. Super grateful for the opportunity”

The other female finalist was also from another of  Simon Rogan’s North West restaurants.  Keira Carolan, is demi chef de partie, at Henrock by Simon Rogan, set within Linthwaite House, Windermere in the heart of The Lake District.

Keira Carolan has already worked in some of the best kitchens in the country. From Donegal on the west coast of Ireland, she wanted to be a chef from an early age. Working in local restaurants in Ireland she moved to England to join the Simon Rogan Academy where her passion, skills and knowledge have really taken flight.

During her apprenticeship, she spent seven months in the kitchen at Simon Rogan’s Michelin star casual dining venue Rogan & Co in Cartmel before moving to Henrock.

The Simon Rogan Culinary Academy was launched in July 2021 in response to the ongoing staffing issues faced by the hospitality sector. The Academy set out with a mission to reignite passion for the industry and to provide the highest standard of training and guidance.

Team Rogan said “No matter where you start, there will always be vast scope for learning and career development. We are proud to have many managers and senior chefs come through from junior positions within our teams.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to spend time on Our Farm, experience other departments and become integral members of ‘Team Rogan’. Furthermore, you will be able to work with us on new projects in the UK and overseas.”

Keira who in 2023 won Lancashire Life Chef of the Year, was “over the moon” to reach the National Young Chef of the Year Finals.

In September, Keira and Rosie will attend the popular mentor experience at Waitrose Food Innovation Studio where they will be able to watch masterclasses, learn more about ingredients from sponsors and make the important decision of which Churchill crockery to serve up their dishes on.

Chair of judges, Russell Bateman who is head chef at The Falcon in Castle Ashby said: “I’ve not judged this particular stage of the Young National Chef of the Year competition before, and I was really impressed with the standard. There was some intelligent and innovative cooking on display from these young chefs and I know we are going to have our work cut out in finding the winner. I’d encourage the chefs to use the next few months to listen to feedback, refine their dishes and practise in a variety of situations beforehand. As a former winner of the senior competition, I know that a new environment and the time limit pushes you out of your comfort zone but opportunities like this don’t come along very often so give it everything you have.”

Competition director and food innovation & sustainability director at Sodexo UK and Ireland, David Mulcahy added: “This year, we reached out to our YNCOTY ambassador chef group made up of the UKs leading chefs to nominate additional young candidates. Alongside, those who were seeded from other competitions, these finalists are from some incredible establishments and businesses. However, on final day, they will be cooking their own food, and the competition will provide a fantastic platform for them to raise their profiles and put their skills to the test. These chefs are the ones to watch and having seen their menus, I know the future of the industry is in great hands.”

The new Young Chef of the Year will be unveiled after the final at a VIP Awards evening in front of some of the industry’s biggest names at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square.

The Young National Chef of the Year competition is supported by Seafood from Norway, Les Vergers Boiron, Douceur de France, Churchill and HIT Training.

We wish both Rosie and Keira the best of luck in the competition and will be following their progress with interest.

You can see the full list of Young National Chef of the Year Finalists for 2024 on The Craft Guild of Chefs website.

You may also be interested in our interviews the following chefs: 

Meet Clare Smyth MBE – new President of Bocuse D’Or UK, Ruth Hansom on making the Roux Scholarship finals in 2022 and Olivia Burt on making the Roux Scholarship finals in 2019. Plus read our ambassador Antonia Lloyd’s interview with April Lily Partridge on winning the Roux Scholarship in 2023.