Royal Academy of Culinary Arts announces 2023 Annual Awards of Excellence winners
The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) has revealed the 26 winners of this year's Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE).
The AAE is an examination that requires all candidates to attain a score of over 70% in order to pass.
Results were announced yesterday (31 July) at a gala dinner held at Claridge's, hosted by John Williams, chairman of RACA, and Lisa Jenkins, chief executive of RACA.
Three AAE recipients were recognised for scoring the highest mark in each category, which included kitchen, pastry and service.
Billy Etheridge, demi chef de partie at Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire, was named RACA Young Chef; Megan Armstrong, pastry chef de partie at 21 Newcastle, was crowned RACA Young Pastry Chef; and Cleo Hudson, demi chef de rang of L'Enclume in Cumbria, became RACA Young Waiter of the year.
The winners were presented with a scholarship from the Savoy Educational Trust, an engraved silver trophy, and work experience opportunities at the Fat Duck in Bray and Pollen Street Social in London's Mayfair.
Armstrong said: "I am just in complete shock, it's unreal! Huge thanks to my head chef Helen Doyle and our sous chefs who gave me the best support throughout. I really focused on the nougatine stand which was quite technical ensuring that nothing snapped or that the caramel didn't cook too far."
Hudson added: "I don't believe it, I feel very very lucky, I practised my self-confidence the most, as it has always been my biggest thing, as I don't believe in myself. My restaurant manager Graeme Cumine and the team at L'Enclume really supported me and this is an award for them."
Kitchen finalists had five hours to produce two portions of a starter from a mystery box; a Paupiette of sole using a Larousse Gastronomique technique; and a raspberry mille-feuille for two covers.
Meanwhile, pastry finalists had five and a half hours to make a strawberry Charlotte royale with sauce anglaise, two Paris-Brest and a nougatine stand.
Service finalists had to set up and silver serve a four-course meal, which involved carving a rack of lamb, as well as decanting and describing wines to table of two guest judges.
Williams said: "The Annual Awards of Excellence provides a much-needed opportunity to showcase the exemplary talent of our brightest young chefs, pastry chefs and waiters working throughout our culinary and hospitality industries."
Jenkins added: "The Annual Awards of Excellence remain the essence of the Academy's education philosophy and was, in 1983 when it was launched, the first of the Academy's many initiatives to have raised the bar and set standards for the industry over the past four decades."
The full list of AAE achievers are below:
Kitchen
- Aimee O'Connell, Chef De Partie, The Ritz London
- Amrita Phull, Chef De Partie, Chapter
- Billy Etheridge, Demi Chef De Partie, Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons
- Daniela Prela, Demi Chef De Partie, The Ritz London
- Ieuan Jones, Commis Chef, Brasserie at Lucknam Park Hotel
- Iona Duncan, Junior Sous Chef, The River Restaurant, The Savoy Hotel
- Tomas Henton, Chef De Partie, Brooks's
- Toby Whitehead, Chef De Partie, Coworth Park, Woven by Adam Smith
Pastry
- Aubin Farges, Pastry Sous Chef, Marcus Belgravia
- Ben Metcalfe, Demi CDP Pastry Chef, Harrods, Pastry
- Megan Armstrong, Pastry Chef De Partie, 21 Newcastle
Service
- Adrien Besnard, Assistant Manager, Le Colombier
- Alexandra Sollis, Guest Relations Manager, The Scarlet Hotel
- Cleo Hudson, Demi Chef De Rang, L'Enclume
- Jack McCormick, Senior Waiter, Trump Turnberry Hotel, Grand Tea Lounge
- Lara Schildknecht, Service Waitperson, Trump Turnberry Hotel, 1906 Restaurant
- Laura Brookes, Fine Dining Senior Waitress, Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons
- Luca Trento, Head waiter, The Ritz London, Restaurant
- Max Daglish, Head Waiter, L'Enclume
- Mirco Finotti, Chef De Rang, The Ritz London, Restaurant
- Noime Miranda, Junior Assistant Manager, The Vineyard Hotel and Spa
- Rebecca Panza, Head Waitress, The Lanesborough Grill
- Riccardo Tresoldi, Head waiter, The Ritz London, Restaurant
- Scott Crowe, Chef de rang, Number One
- Valentino Galdi, Assistant Head Waiter, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
- Zoe Trontin, Head Waiter, The Goring Hotel
