Venues of Excellence (VOE) in partnership with Wilson Vale, were delighted to see the 24th Cook and Serve Challenge take place on Saturday 14th March 2026.
This year’s competition celebrated the vibrant and diverse art of Asian Fusion, challenging competitors to create dishes that harmoniously blended flavours, techniques and traditions from across Asia — or fused Asian influences with global cuisines. The brief called for creativity, balance and true culinary excellence, and competitors rose to the occasion.
Held at Leicester College, 12 teams took part in the challenge, each tasked with preparing and serving a three-course menu that reflected both the theme and their individual venue identity. Invited guests were treated to a unique and immersive dining experience, while both Chef and Front of House judges closely observed and evaluated every aspect of the lunch service — from culinary execution to presentation and hospitality.
This year, the competition headline sponsor was Ocean King, inviting CEO Steven Thai as a guest chef judge to the competition. Talking about the experience and the event, Steven said: “Cook and Serve continues to be a brilliant showcase of the next generation of hospitality talent. It was inspiring to see such high standards from both the chefs and the front of house teams. As a supplier to many high-end catering establishments, Ocean King is passionate about supporting the people who transform great ingredients into memorable dining experiences.
While presenting the awards, I could see the emotion in the room and just how much it meant to the competitors. Moments like that remind you how important it is to celebrate skill, dedication, and the craft of hospitality. The opportunity for the winners to spend time learning/working at Simpson’s Michelin Star restaurant is a remarkable prize and perfectly reflects what this competition is all about – nurturing talent and recognising the future stars of our industry. We’re proud to support Cook and Serve as headline sponsor and to play a small part in encouraging the next generation.”
Riccardo Corbinzolu, Operations Director, Wilson Vale who organised the competition, commenting on this year’s competitors said: “What an incredible day we had at this year’s competition – the energy and passion on display were truly inspiring from start to finish.
Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who took part. We greatly appreciate the creativity and dedication you brought, which was evident throughout the day.
A special congratulations to our winners, whose outstanding efforts really stood out in what was an exceptionally strong field. It’s fair to say that this year’s competition truly tested our competitors, with some remarkable and inspiring dishes on display.
I feel incredibly honoured to lead this competition and to work alongside some incredibly talented people. My sincere thanks go to all our sponsors and our judges – your continued support, expertise and commitment are what make this event possible.
As we look ahead to next year, we are excited to be celebrating the 25th year of the competition. Over that time, we have seen many milestone moments and fantastic growth, and 2027 is set to be a year not to miss – with new awards and exciting developments to come. Stay tuned…”
The competition recognises excellence across both kitchen and front-of-house disciplines, awarding top individual courses and service performance in both junior and senior categories. The most coveted accolades include Champion Chef, Food Service Champion, and the Chairman’s Best Team Award. Celebrations continued into the evening at Burleigh Court, Imago Venues, where the Awards Dinner showcased outstanding food and service once again. Guests experienced a memorable evening hosted by the team at Imago Venues.
Emma Chamberlain, Commercial Director, commented: “It was a privilege for Imago Venues to host the Venues of Excellence Cook & Serve competition on Saturday, bringing together some of the most promising young hospitality professionals from across the country. Welcoming teams, judges, and supporters to our venue created an inspiring atmosphere, and we were proud to provide a platform that truly showcased the passion, creativity, and technical skill within our industry.
The evening awards ceremony was a particular highlight, celebrating exceptional achievements and the spirit of teamwork that defines this event. We were absolutely delighted to secure five awards in the Junior section, a fantastic recognition of the talent and commitment within our team. Their success reflects both their hard work and the supportive learning environment we strive to create. Hosting this competition reinforces our dedication to developing future leaders in hospitality, and we were honoured to play a part in such an uplifting occasion and memorable moment.”
To deliver the Cook and Serve Challenge 2026, VOE once again partnered with Leicester College to host the competition, and aspects of the event were sponsored by: Ocean King, Matthew Algie, Radmoor Restaurant, LWC Drinks, Event Engineering, Freedom Brewery, Simpsons, View It 360, Matthew Clark, Nottingham Venues, Wilson Vale, Imago Venues, Steelite-Utopia and Balfour Winery.
Mandy Jennings, CEO of Venues of Excellence, described the event as a standout moment in the VOE calendar: “With such incredible talent across our member venues, particularly within food and beverage teams, this year’s Cook and Serve Challenge truly showcased the passion, creativity and professionalism that defines our collection.”
Venues of Excellence and Wilson Vale were delighted to see member venues committed to showcase their team talents and look forward to planning the 2027 event, which is the 25th anniversary of the competition.
The full list of winners of the Cook and Serve Challenge 2026 are:
Best Starter (Junior): Liam Dyson, Imago Venues
Best Starter (Senior): Aphiwat Kinnaret, Nottingham Venues
Best Main Course (Junior): Katherine Metcalfe, Rhodes House
Best Main Course (Senior): Victor Chan, Unique Venues Birmingham
Best Dessert (Junior): Marcello Grasso, Wyboston Lakes Resort
Best Dessert (Senior): Amrik Mudhar, Leicester College
Best Cocktails (Junior): Lauren Border, Imago Venues
Best Cocktails (Senior): Denzil D’Silva, Nottingham Venues
Best Beverage Selection (Junior): Lauren Border, Imago Venues
Best Beverage Selection (Senior): Stuart Baker, Imago Venues
Best Beverage Service (Junior): Lauren Border, Imago Venues
Best Beverage Service (Senior): Callum Connolly, Unique Venues Birmingham
Best Food Service (Junior): Jenna Lee Cadman, Drayton Manor Resort
Best Food Service (Senior): Callum Connolly, Unique Venues Birmingham
Food Service Champion: Callum Connolly, Unique Venues Birmingham
Champion Chef: Katherin Metcalfe, Rhodes House
Chairman’s Best Team Award: Marcello Grasso and Charlie Taylor, Wyboston Lakes Resort
The Champion Chef Menu:
Starter:
Korean fried trout and avocado sushi roll, tom yum crème fraiche
Accompanying beverage:
Hundred Hills Blanc de Blanc
Main course:
British Classics Bento Box
Steak and chips, Spam onigiri hamwich, Salmon Royale gyoza, wasabi hollandaise, Bao bun cheese and marmite toastie
Accompanying beverage:
Schezwan Spiced Lagerita
Dessert:
Apple Crumble Goyza, Miso Custard
Accompanying beverage:
Plum Sake
