Chef at luxury Mayo hotel qualifies for Young National Chef of the Year Final

Lewis Nicholas, a chef at Ashford Castle in Co. Mayo is preparing to compete for one of the biggest titles available to an up-and-coming chef after earning a place in the Young National Chef of the Year final.

The achievement puts Lewis among an exciting line-up of young chefs who will go head-to-head in October, showcasing the skill, ambition and creativity helping to shape the future of the hospitality industry.

Organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs, Young National Chef of the Year provides emerging talent with the opportunity to test themselves, learn from leading chefs and gain national recognition at an important stage in their career.

To reach the final, Lewis impressed the judges during a demanding selection process. He will now have another opportunity to demonstrate his talent in front of an acclaimed judging panel.

David Mulcahy, competition director said: “To reach the final is a significant milestone in any young chef’s career. The judges were impressed with the high standard and it was fantastic to see the chefs respond so positively to the pressure of a live semi-final. Lewis should be incredibly proud of this achievement and we look forward to seeing what he brings to the final.”

Tom Shepherd, chair of judges, added: “The level of cooking across both heats made selecting our finalists difficult, but I’m confident we’ve got a very exciting final ahead of us in October. We were looking for chefs with strong technical skills, the ability to create delicious flavours and a real understanding of the brief. Lewis demonstrated that talent, and we’re excited to see them step up again in the final.”

The Young National Chef of the Year final will be held at Le Cordon Bleu London on Tuesday 6th October, where the finalists will compete for the most prestigious title for young chefs in the UK. The winner will be announced later that evening at an awards ceremony attended by leading figures from across the hospitality industry.