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The Young National Chef of the Year (YNCOTY) awards were announced on Tuesday 8th October at a lively ceremony at London’s Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square. Taking the runner-up spot was Rosie Welch from L’Enclume with Keira Carolan from Simon Rogan’s Henrock taking the third place spot. The  VIP Awards evening took place in front of some of the industry’s biggest names.

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 (CCS) 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.

IFE Manufacturing is the ultimate product sourcing platform for food & drink manufacturers to do business. It is part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week at Excel. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, is delighted to be chairing a session at the Trends & Innovation Platform on 27th March called Why Women-Led What’s the Future for Vegan & Plant Based Diets – Has the Bubble Burst? Read on to find out about the women in the plant-based food industry who are on the panel and what you will takeaway from the panel and the event.

Women in The Food Industry member and award-winning chef, Amber Francis, hailed as one to watch on Great British Menu, is taking on a new challenge – cooking incredible food in a school as she joins Chefs In Schools. The pioneering non profit, Chefs in Schools recently won a BBC Food and Farming Award – the Derek Cooper Award for Outstanding Achievement. 

Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry, Antonia Lloyd, interviews 29-year-old sous chef April Lily Partridge from The Ledbury (2*) on her recent triumph winning the coveted Roux Scholarship.

One of the superstars in the UK’s hospitality industry is multi-award-winning Chantelle Nicholson, Chef Owner of Apricity, that just received its Green Michelin sustainability star a year after opening. In a conversation with Ambassador of WIFI, Antonia Lloyd, we discover more about the exceptional benchmark Chantelle is creating for restaurants today.

The first UK edition of Casa Brasil, a fortnight long festival will launch in London’s Covent Garden from 25th August 2022. Luciana Berry, has curated the food and drink for the event and we attended a press night to find out more. 

BBC producers are on the hunt for the UK’s most exciting and innovative small food or drink businesses to take part in the new series of Future Food Stars which will be hosted by Gordon Ramsay on BBC One.

Following the fantastic news that Core by Clare Smyth secured a third Michelin star this week, Bocuse d’Or UK is delighted to announce that she has accepted the role of Global Chef Ambassador for the Bocuse d’Or UK.

We recently caught up with inspiring young chef Amber Francis, Senior Sous Chef at Bermondsey Larder (previously known as The Dairy Bermondsey), to discover more about the resilience of working in the restaurant world during lockdown. Plus as Youth Ambassador for The Craft Guild of Chefs, discover her thoughts on importance of training, development, women in the industry and her clear love for the hospitality world.

In these uncertain and challenging times, we have been inspired by women in the food industry who have been motivated to use their skills and energy to help others. Our co-founder Janie Ash spoke to chef Mary-Ellen McTague for her story of how she is responding to Coronavirus and helping frontline staff and vulnerable people in Manchester. 

Join us at the Royal Society of Arts to discuss gender-specific barriers in the food and farming industry. When world is focusing on the contribution of women for International Women’s Day on March 8th and its theme of #EachForEqual, what can we do to help make the food & farming industry more equal for the whole year?