Ahead of the Pub Chef of the Year competition at International Salon Culinaire, this year’s finalists gathered in London for a dedicated Mentor Day designed to help them prepare for the challenge ahead. Hosted at the Alliance Farmers Produce office, the session brought competitors together with chefs, partners and industry organisations for a morning of practical advice, demonstrations and discussion about what it takes to succeed in one of the UK’s most respected culinary competitions.

The Mentor Day gave finalists the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how Salon Culinaire operates and what judges look for on competition day. With many chefs entering the Salon arena for the first time, the session focused on demystifying the process, offering guidance on preparation, presentation and the level of detail required to perform at the highest standard.

The Pub Chef of the Year competition will take place on Wednesday 01 April as part of International Salon Culinaire. In the 45-minute Small Plates Pub Challenge, competitors must prepare, cook and present four small plate dishes suitable for a family of four — two adults and two teenagers — dining in a pub-style environment.

Chefs will be required to produce two portions of each dish and may choose to present the plates individually or as part of a shared platter. Judges will assess the entries on flavour, texture, creativity and presentation, while also considering value for money and how effectively the dishes would work on a modern pub menu.

Any style of cuisine is permitted, but competitors must demonstrate strong technical ability and efficient use of time in the competition kitchen. Each of the four dishes must also incorporate at least one element created using an Essential Cuisine product from the brand’s range.

Gary Kilminster, Business Development Manager at Essential Cuisine, told finalists: "Small plates bring famliies together; food is language. For this year's competition I wanted to put a slightly different brief in place. Salon Culinaire has been running for over 100 years and often the briefs are in fine dining style. I wanted to do something different that would resonate with pub chefs and how their industry works."

Industry partners shared their expertise throughout the session. The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) introduced finalists to the work it does to support the pub sector, highlighting the organisation’s role in championing professional development, training and community across the industry.

Essential Cuisine chefs were on hand throughout the day to offer advice and guidance, sharing insights from their experience working in professional kitchens and competitions. Their support helped reinforce the importance of preparation, ingredient knowledge and clarity of flavour when creating dishes under pressure.

A highlight of the day was a small plates masterclass led by award-winning chef and licensee Nick Hemming, who runs The Heron Inn in Malpas, Cornwall, alongside his wife Amanda. Nick demonstrated techniques for creating refined, flavour-driven small plates suitable for a modern pub menu, giving finalists a practical look at how thoughtful ingredient combinations and presentation can elevate a dish.

Finalists also enjoyed a small plates lunch prepared by Rick Owens of The Bat & Ball, the 2025 Pub Chef of the Year winner. Rick shared insights into his own competition experience, offering helpful advice on how to stay focused and composed in the Salon Culinaire kitchens.

Competitors were also able to sample premium New Zealand lamb supplied by Alliance Farmers Produce, giving them the opportunity to experience the quality of the ingredient and explore how it could be used creatively in competition dishes.

The session concluded with a Q&A panel where finalists were able to ask questions about judging, preparation and the competition environment. The open discussion allowed chefs to share ideas, address concerns and gain reassurance before stepping into the Salon Culinaire kitchens later this year.

Andrew Pantelli, Project Director for International Salon Culinaire, said: “The Pub Chef of the Year Mentor Day is about giving chefs the best possible start before they step into the competition kitchen. Salon Culinaire is an incredible platform for chefs to test their skills and gain recognition, but it can also be daunting if you’ve never competed before. Bringing finalists together with industry experts, past winners and our partners helps them understand what the judges are looking for and how to prepare properly. The standard this year is already shaping up to be extremely high and we’re looking forward to seeing how these talented chefs perform.”

International Salon Culinaire will take place at HRC from 30 March to 01 April at Excel London, where finalists will compete for the Pub Chef of the Year title in front of an expert judging panel.