De Vere is proud to announce that Ben Parris, Executive Head Chef at De Vere Horsley Estate, has been named the global winner of IACC’s Copper Skillet, the most coveted culinary title in the international conference and events industry.
Ben scooped the award in New York, competing against Copper Skillet champions from the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions. He first won the UK title in August 2025 before claiming the European crown in Sweden in October 2025. Ben has now completed a clean sweep of the competition’s three stages.
The IACC Copper Skillet is renowned for its demanding format: competitors must design and cook a restaurant-quality main course in just 30 minutes, using a selection of pantry staples alongside a set of undisclosed mystery ingredients revealed only at the start of the challenge. Judges assess creativity, technical precision and flavour. Ben cooked Pan Roasted Striped Bass, Braised Fennel, Spring Vegetables, Sauce Vierge and Herb Salad.
De Vere Horsley Estate’s Executive Head Chef, Ben Parris, said: “To win the UK title, then Europe and now the global final has been the most extraordinary journey. The Copper Skillet is unlike any competition I’ve entered; you have no idea what ingredients you’re walking into, so it really strips everything back to instinct and skill. I’m incredibly proud, but this is as much a win for the whole team at Horsley Estate as it is for me.”
De Vere Horsley Estate’s General Manager, Michael Micallef, adds: “The IACC Copper Skillet is the gold standard for culinary excellence in our sector and Ben’s victory is a remarkable achievement.
“We were delighted to support Ben in person at the recent IACC Americas Knowledge Exchange, hosted at the Windrose On Hudson.”
IACC represents the top 1% of meeting and conference venues globally, with more than 400 member venues across 25 countries. Membership requires venues to meet rigorous standards in service, technology and culinary excellence, making the Copper Skillet title a benchmark achievement within the sector.
De Vere Horsley Estate is one of the flagship properties within the De Vere portfolio, a collection of country house hotels and conference venues set across some of England’s most distinctive historic estates.
