The Craft Guild of Chefs has announced the ten finalists for this years National Chef of the Year, with James Devine, the sous chef of Michelin star EIPIC in Belfast, making it to the finale in October.
The semi-final saw chefs compete at two live cook-offs at Sheffield on the 14 June and London a week later, and were judged by over 40 chefs, including Clare Smyth, former chef patron at three Michelin star Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
Vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, David Mulcahy, said: “This has probably been our most hotly-contested semi-finals to date. It was an interesting brief this year which focused on core culinary skills and these ten chefs have demonstrated a high level of skill whilst adapting the brief to their own cooking style.”
Smyth added “I believe we have found 10 incredibly talented chefs who now have to raise their game even further to be in with a chance of taking the UK's most sought-after title.”
Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, Antrim will hosts this years Irish Game Fair and Fine Food festival over the weekend. It will showcase products such as craft beer from Hillstown Brewery and eels from Lough Neagh.
