Aaron Blais from The Ritz, London crowned BCF Chef of the Year 2025

Aaron Blais

Aaron Blais, chef at The Ritz, London, has been named British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year 2025 at an industry awards dinner held at University College Birmingham on Monday 23rd June, attended by 80 guests.

As the 19th winner of this very popular competition, Aaron joins an elite group of past winners and Michelin-starred chefs including, Simon Hulstone, Luke Tipping, Richard Turner, Adam Bennett, Matt Cheal, Adam Handling, Martin Carabott, Ian Musgrave, Leo Kattou and Kevin Buck.

In partnership with Aubrey Allen and Bord Bia, supported by Goodfellows, Steelite Utopia and Staff Canteen, Aaron was presented with the award by Simon Smith, director of Aubrey Allen, Sean Deane, UK manager, Bord Bia and BCF chairman, Mathew Shropshall.  

As well as an “Inspired Irish Beef Chefs Trip” to Ireland with Aubrey Allen and Bord Bia, Aaron also won a cash prize of £2,000, commemorative plate and winner’s certificate.

Aaron impressed the celebrity line-up of judges with three outstanding dishes. 

Judges included: Fabrice Uhryn, The Waterside, Bray; Daniel Stucki, Sketch, London; Adam Smith, Woven, Coworth Park; Aktar Islam, Opheem, Birmingham; Rachel Humphrey, Chez Roux, London and previous winner Kevin Buck, Fantomas, Chelsea.

He was one of 14 chefs to reach the live final cook off, after the paper judging round.  The finalists had to produce a three-course meal for two covers in two hours, the main course of which centred on using sirloin of Irish grass-fed beef with beef offal of competitors choice.

Aaron’s winning menu comprised; Orkney scallop, tomato consommé and basil to start, followed by grass-fed Irish sirloin of beef and sweetbread pithivier, turnip and morel. Dessert was British strawberry, caramelised honey panna cotta, almond and elderflower.

Harvey Perttola of Dunbia Cross Hands, Llanelli was named runner up, while Kristian Curtis of The Table, De Banke Group, Solihull, was third.

Competition organiser and BCF president, Peter Griffiths, who announced the awards said: “The standards attained in this competition continue to impress and, once again, the competition has attracted interest from across all sectors of the industry and continues to grow.  

"We have witnessed some fabulous dishes and innovative cooking with good use of Irish Beef resulting in another tense and exciting competition for the title of British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year 2025.”

FINALISTS

Aaron Blais, The Ritz, London

Dan Androne, The Forest Hotel, Dorridge                                    

Kurtus Auty, Bosun’s Restaurant, York

Joseph Latham, University of Leicester

Harvey Perttola, Dunbia Cross Hands, Llanelli                             

Luke Ellul, Baxter Storey, Farrer & Co                            

Jamie Duff, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

James Newton, Restaurant Associates, Compass Group UK

Charlie Cable, Woven, Coworth Park

Robert Broome, North Hertfordshire College

Charles Conroy, Ten Tables, Guildford

Kristian Curtis, The Table, De Banke Group, Solihull

Methus Sawangseang, The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield

Zoltan Gothard, Rhodes House, Oxford