Recipe for Success! Catering Alumnus Toby Crowned Young National Chef of the Year

Celebrations are underway at Loughborough College’s Radmoor Restaurant as former student Toby Whitehead is named Young National Chef of the Year at Le Cordon Bleu in London.

During the final of the competition, Toby – who earnt his Level 2 Diploma in Professional Culinary Skills at Loughborough College in 2018 – wowed the judges with a winning menu of ambitious courses, including a salmon, yuzu, and dill starter, venison quince and cabbage main, and egg custard tart for dessert. 

Previous semi-final rounds saw him face an unfamiliar environment, cooking in a new kitchen in front of the judging panel, which included Bake Off: The Professionals judge, Cherish Finden, and Great British Menu contestant and restauranteur, Tom Shepherd. 

Following his studies at Loughborough College, Toby worked under acclaimed chef Adam Smith, earned a Royal Academy of Culinary Arts scholarship, and gained experience at a range of exclusive restaurants in the UK and abroad before joining the Michelin starred Woven by Adam Smith in Berkshire. 

Darren Creed, Curriculum Head for Hospitality and Travel at Loughborough College, and Toby’s former teacher, expressed his pride, sharing: “I am so pleased for Toby. As one of our Hospitality alumni, it is fantastic to see his career take off in such an amazing way. To say I’m proud would be an understatement. He has a very bright future ahead of him.”

Hosted by the Craft Guild of Chefs, the UK’s leading professional association for chefs, the competition provides an important platform for talented young chefs to test themselves and their skills, build their confidence, and showcase their individual style.

Having won the prestigious title, Toby will enjoy an exceptional package of prizes including a two-day culinary visit to Paris, a Michelin-starred dining experience courtesy of Hong Kong-based company Lee Kum Kee, and professional development funding from the Worshipful Company of Cooks.