Meet the England National Culinary Team

The BCF is delighted to introduce the line up for the 2024-2026 England National Team, to find out more about each member, simply click on the pictures below.

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TEAM MANAGER OF ENGLAND’S NATIONAL CULINARY TEAM

A multi award winning chef and Coach of the England Culinary Team. His diverse career has seen him working internationally in Michelin starred kitchens from Sat Bains to Noma as well as leading brigades at Wimbledon Tennis Club & the F1. He is currently the Culinary Director for Restaurant Associates. After winning the coveted Master of Culinary Arts, he went on to lead the national team to victory, winning gold medals in both the Culinary World Cup 2021 and the Culinary Olympics 2023.

ENGLAND’S NATIONAL CULINARY TEAM MEMBERS

Edward Marsh, Team Captain

After 13 years of competing internationally in various roles Edward now leads this talented group of chefs as the Captain of the English Nation al Culinary team.

Edward has worked his entire career at the highest level in renowned Michelin-starred country house hotels across the country. Most recently he has taken the helm at Buckland Manor a stunning three rosette, Relais and Chateaux property nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds.

This follows his previous position at the Michelin-starred Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe where in his eight-year tenure helped guide the team to four rosettes.

He very much believes in the use of the finest of seasonal produce and letting they’re qualities show. His food may look simple however is backed up with skill, technique and utmost precision.

Edward is very much one to watch as highlighted by The Caterer when he was awarded an Acorn in 2020, an award which showcases rising young hospitality talent .This is the pinnacle of many awards that Edward has achieved over his 16-year career, Including South West Chef, BCF Young Chef, Toque D'Or and Salon Culinaire

Chris Zammit

Chris started his career training at an academic institute in Malta where he studied under some of the best pastry instructors at the time. His passion for anything pastry saw him work at some of the best hotels on the island. He honed his skills in pastillage, butter sculpting, chocolate and gelato, running away with the top awards most of the time.

Twelve years ago, he moved to the UK to widen his horizons where he opened his own ice-cream production business. In October 2015, he won the Best Chocolate Showpiece and Best Chocolate Tasting entremets at the UK Pastry Open, earning him a place on Team GB for the Coupe de Monde de la Patisserie 2017. His chocolate showpiece and carved chocolate block finished 5th out of the final 22 countries competing. Since then, he is now a Choco-Commando for the renowned chocolate company, Callebaut, focusing on Choco-Gelato and is also involved in teaching Chocolate and Gelato work all over the world. He is a regular England Team member and winner of numerous medals and awards.

In 2024 his artistic chocolate centrepiece was placed first out of 24 countries at the World Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart.

Michael Kwan

Michael Kwan is the executive pastry chef at The Dorchester, London's iconic landmark hotel. With a culinary journey that commenced in Hong Kong kitchens, Michael has garnered extensive experience from prestigious establishments such as Hotel Café Royal, Ladurée, Hakkasan, and The Fat Duck.
At The Dorchester, Michael leads the pastry team, overseeing the signature afternoon tea at The Promenade, Cakes and Flower Shop, Par Café, and all luxury rooms. His artisanship extends to creating exquisite pastries and desserts for weddings, parties, and events throughout the property.
Michael was rewarded many times for his talented work such as UK Sugar Champion in 2019, UK Pastry open Champion in 2020, European Cup Champion in 2022 and Pastry Chef of the Year in 2024. He is serving as the UK Pastry Team President, he leads the team in preparations for the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie 2025.

Jamie McDonald

From a young age, Jamie has been passionate about food and the hospitality industry. His culinary journey began at Jason Atherton’s City Social, where he worked his way through various sections of the kitchen, learning the art of Michelin-starred cooking and drawing inspiration from the exceptional talent around him.

Jamie's cooking remains rooted in the classical techniques and his goal was always to ensure the food was the very best it could be.

In 2021, Jamie joined Absolute Taste, catering for national and international events, where he continues to navigate the logistical and operational challenges of delivering restaurant-quality food at high-end green field events.

The BCF has played a pivotal role in in his career, introducing Jamie to the world of culinary competitions. Competing in BCF Young Chef of the Year opened doors for further growth, leading to Jamie's involvement with both the Junior and Senior National Culinary Teams.

Gary Wolfe

Gary embarked on his culinary journey at the University of West London.

He honed his skills in renowned London hotels, developing a passion for exceptional service and fine dining.

Currently, he holds the position of Head Chef at Restaurant Associates, leading one of their esteemed flagship fine dining establishments.

Gary is no stranger to culinary competitions, having secured Gold medals at prestigious events such as the hospitality Show, Saloon Culinaire at Hotelympia, and most notably, the coveted title of 2023 Compass Group UK & Ireland Senior Chef of the Year.

This remarkable achievement propelled him to join the prestigious England National Culinary Team, representing his country at the IKA Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart 2024.

Stacey Harris

Stacey attended the University of West London and commenced his career at the two-Michelin-starred Petrus where he spent two years, followed by the Michelin-starred Chapter One, Orpington for five years. For the last nine years, he has been working as Head Chef for Restaurant Associates, Compass Group in a Fine Dining environment for a large contract in Canary Wharf, London currently Head Chef at KMPG. He has won a silver medal in La Parade des Chefs and received an Annual Award of Excellence from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts in 2015. A dedicated and strong member of the team since 2021 winning double silver medals at the World Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart 2024.