A young chef from South Cumbria who is a Chef de Partie at Simon Rogan's L’Enclume has received top-tier mentorship in preparation for the finale of a prestigious competition.

Rosie Welch from Cartmel was thrilled to join other top emerging young chefs in the UK in the The Craft Guild of Chefs' Young National Chef of the Year (YNCOTY) competition.

The YNCOTY competition, organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs brings together the most talented and promising chefs in the industry to compete for a title that can shape their professional futures for years to come.

Its Mentor Day, held earlier this month at the prestigious Waitrose Food Innovation Studio, served as a pivotal cornerstone of the ongoing competition, providing an opportunity for competition sponsors to meet and inspire the talented finalists. 

In the competition final, the chefs will be tasked with creating a main course dish using fresh Norwegian halibut. 

Chefs Russell Bateman, Simon Hulstone, Seafood from Norway's Victoria Braathen and David Mulcahy (Image: gabriel bush) The young chefs gained valuable insights from Michelin-starred chef Simon Hulstone and Russell Bateman, Chair of Judges for YNCOTY 2024, in an environment charged with creativity and passion, helping them refine their skills ahead of the final. 

The day included masterclasses, and panel discussions, featuring a recipe showcase and filleting demonstration by Chef Hulstone, who delved into the ins and outs of creating winning dishes using sustainably sourced Norwegian seafood.

Breaking off into smaller groups, the finalists explored a variety of Norwegian Seafood  products on display, where they learned about its ethos in celebrating sustainable fishing practices.

Simon Hulstone spent the morning mentoring rising culinary star, Rosie Welch. 

Rosie said: "It was brilliant to meet the team from Seafood from Norway. Simon used Halibut in his demo showing us chefs how to break it down and how to get the most out of the fish ahead of the final. He answered all questions with great depth and has helped me and the other competition finalists feel confident as we approach the big day.  

"It's been a great privilege to get to the final and to meet our brilliant sponsors and other competitors. I’m very excited to be cooking alongside such talented chefs and can’t wait for the final.” 

The top emerging young chefs from around the UK (Image: gabriel bush) Rosie also benefited from a skills demo which concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where Russell Bateman offered finalists key advice on fostering a winning mindset as they approach the finals in October.

On the agenda was also sustainability practices when working with seafood in the kitchen focusing on waste reduction and portioning techniques. 

Reflecting on the Mentor Day, Victoria Braathen, UK Director for the Norwegian Seafood Council, said: "The Craft Guild of Chefs' Young National Chef of the Year competition is a defining moment in these chefs' careers, propelling them to new heights of aspiration.

"As part of our work in the UK, Seafood from Norway is proud to collaborate with the nation's culinary community in various ways, with a highlight being the sponsorship of this competition.

"At SfN, a significant part of our mission is dedicated to engaging, nurturing, and inspiring emerging UK talent, encouraging the culinary stars of tomorrow to experiment with and incorporate Norwegian seafood into modern cuisine.

"We wish all those taking part in this year’s competition our heartfelt best wishes." 

The Craft Guild of Chefs' Young National Chef of the Year final takes place on October 8 in London.