Trends, hot topics and talent on display at The Restaurant Show 2019

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The Bocuse d’Or UK

As well, as a packed exhibition The Restaurant Show also played host to some of the most exciting culinary competitions in the UK. This included the Bocuse d’Or UK selection which was hosted at the show for the first time. We were proud to sponsor the competition theatre and watched the winning moment that Ian Musgrove from The Ritz London was revealed as the chef to take the UK team to the first cook-off in Europe. He beat tough competition from Luke Selby, Ruth Hansom and Robert Sussex.

The Kikkoman Masters 2019

Later that day, a packed audience witnessed Stefan Sewell wow the judges in the final of the Kikkoman Masters. He won an incredible prize of a once in a lifetime trip to Japan after serving up starter of squash, fermented black bean & fennel followed by a main course of beef, carrot and Kohlrabi.

NCOTY and YNCOTY 2020

Day two of the show saw the finals of the Young National Chef of the Year (YNCOTY) and National Chef of the Year (NCOTY). We are headline sponsor of NCOTY and have loved inviting former finalists and winners into our London Innovation Centre throughout the year. Steve Groves took this year’s title and was a popular choice with the judges and audience after impressing with his menu. This was red mullet, shellfish mousse and bouillabaisse sauce, followed by a main course of suckling pig, Jerusalem artichokes, quince, hazelnut and trompettes with Calvados Baba, honey poached pears and creme fraiche Chantilly for dessert. Derek Johnstone from Borthwick Castle went one better than in 2018 finishing in second place with Nick Smith from Vacherin coming third.

Plans are already underway for us to take Steve, Derek and Nick on a memorable culinary trip to Lebanon. They’ll have the chance to explore the region’s exciting food, wine and restaurant culture and bring some inspiration back to their kitchens. From Beirut’s innovative street-food to outstanding wines from the Bekaa Valley, there’s a whole world of stunning cuisine for them to discover. William Keeble from Whatley Manor proved that he’s ‘one-to-watch’ when he took the title in the Young National Chef of the Year competition with Jordon Powell in second place and George Harding in the third spot. We look forward to following the careers of these talented chefs.

One of the highlights for us was seeing the sustainable chef jackets produced by CCS being worn by all of the judges. This competition attracts the best chef judges in the UK culinary scene and it was a proud moment seeing the jackets, which are made from Recycled Plastic Bottles on display with fantastic feedback from those wearing them.

Compass Chef of the Year 2019

The Compass Chef of the Year competitions took place on the final day of the show with apprentice, junior and senior rounds. Congratulations to Chris Macleod, ESS who was the Senior Chef of the Year, Sam Kent who works for RA who took the junior title and Miranda Cook, also from RA, was the Apprentice winner.

Who is setting the trends when it comes to food and drink display?

These weren’t the only winners of the week as to kick-start the show we revealed which brands were taking home prizes in our Innovation Awards. We presented gold, silver and bronze certificates for the catering items and suppliers that we felt deserve recognition for being trendsetters. Here’s a round-up of who took home the 2019 Innovation Awards.

Starter

Congratulations to our Innovation Award Winners here at the Catering Equipment Expo at @restaurantshow in the category of Starters... @genware1 @steelite_emea & @churchill_1795 - search 'look book' on our website to download your new copy!

32 Likes, 1 Comments - Lockhart Catering Equipment (@bunzllockhart) on Instagram: "Congratulations to our Innovation Award Winners here at the Catering Equipment Expo at..."

Gold – Nevilles Terra Porcelain

Silver – Steelite Willow Azure

Bronze – Churchill Bamboo Raku

Main Course

Gold – Artisan Granite

Silver – Churchill Isla

Bronze – Steelite Scape

Desserts

Congratulations to our Innovation Award Winners @steelite_emea @churchill_1795 @arcoroc #Artisan @robertgordonpottery for their outstanding products in the categories of Drinks & Desserts at this year's Catering Equipment Expo at the @restaurantshow ----------- #chefs #chefseye #chefsofinstagram #chefstagram #londonevents #londoncatering #hotels #restaurants #food #foodie #foodporn #foodphotography #instatakeover #foodstagram #tableware #networking #business #expo #trs #chef #catering #hospitality

15 Likes, 0 Comments - Lockhart Catering Equipment (@bunzllockhart) on Instagram: "Congratulations to our Innovation Award Winners @steelite_emea @churchill_1795 @arcoroc #Artisan..."

Gold – Steelite Robert Gordon Pier

Silver – Artisan Neuvell

Bronze – Churchill Raku

Drinks

Gold – Arcoroc Spirit

Silver – Steelite Punk

Bronze – Artis Speakeasy

Buffet

Gold – Churchill Buffetscape Wood (Check out the Churchill Buffet solutions on our i360TV:)

Silver – Dalebrook Cassablanca

Bronze – Harfield Sustainable

Have you seen the new Look Book?

You can see some of these products in action in the latest edition of our Look Book. This was being handed out to visitors at the show but if you missed it, you can still get your copy online. When creating this handy guide, we carry out extensive research on the latest dining trends and reveal what consumers want when it comes to eating and drinking out. It’s full of inspiration to help you plan menus, food and drink displays and your overall business operation.

What was your highlight from the show?

We’d love to hear your thoughts via our social media channels @BunzlLockhart on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook.