The Master of Culinary Arts (MCA) is regarded as the ultimate accolade for chefs, pastry chefs and restaurant managers in the UK. Held every four years, these prestigious awards recognise outstanding craftsmanship.
Inspired and supported by iconic chefs Michel Bourdin and Albert and Michel Roux OBEs, the MCA was inaugurated in 1987 when it was originally known as the MeilleurOuvrier de Grande Bretagne and based on the MeilleurOuvrier de France. Our committee is made up of leading figures from the hospitality industry.
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2026 MCA’s
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Valerio Badioli MCA
Food & Beverage Manager, The Gleneagles Townhouse
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Ben Christopherson MCA
Senior Lecturer, The University of West London
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Thomas Gammella MCA
General Manager, The Braywood | WSH Restaurants
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Mehdi Lahmadi MCA
Premier Sous Chef, Coworth Park
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Ian Musgrave MCA
Executive Sous Chef, The Ritz
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Tom Noller MCA
Restaurant Manager, L’Enclume
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Andrea Nuninger MCA
Restaurant Manager, Àclèaf at Borindgon Hall Hotel & Spa
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Michael Pazsto MCA
Head Sommelier, The Ritz
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Adam Smith MCA
Executive Head Chef, Hever Castle
MCA 2026 Pastry Final
MCA 2026 Service Final
MCA 2026 Kitchen Final
MCA Gala Awards Dinner 2026
The Official Champagne of the MCA
Headline Equipment Sponsor
Headline Education Sponsor
Sponsors
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Aubrey Allen
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Berkman Wine Cellars
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Bragard
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Caffe Musetti
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Ritter Courivaud
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Seafood Scotland
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SushiSushi
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Winterhalter
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Woods Food Service
2026 MCA Gala Dinner
Friday 16 October 2026
18:30 23:00
The Dorchester 53 Park LaneLondon, England, W1K 1QAUnited Kingdom (map)
Hosted at The Dorchester on 16 October 2026, guests will enjoy an extraordinary evening showcasing some of the finest culinary talent in the UK.
Overseen by The Dorchester London’s General Manager Luca Virgilio, Culinary Director Martyn Nail and Director of Food and Beverage Richard Newell’s outstanding restaurant management team, the dinner will be prepared by distinguished Master of Culinary Arts recipients Jeremy Ford MCA, George Blogg MCA, Andre Garrett MCA, Adam Smith MCA, Benoit Blin MCA, and Alistair Birt MCA.
MENU
Reception
Canapés
Jeremy Ford MCA, Head of Culinary - Fulham Pier, Sodexo
Duck liver parfait éclair, black autumn truffle, crispy skin
Tartare of ‘Silverscale’ salmon, ponzu, Oscietra
Lobster toasts, black garlic, sesame furikake
Whipped London ricotta, tomato, basil, black olive
Heritage beetroot, beetroot humus, puffed wild rice
*****
Starter
George Blogg MCA, Culinary Director of Hever Castle and Eden at Hever Castle.
Baked fermented white beetroot, Marcona almond and confit garlic soup, shio koji kohlrabi "rose", horseradish and fig leaf
*****
Fish Course
Andre Garrett MCA
Scottish Megrim sole, lobster (courtesy of Seafood Scotland), à la Grenobloise with Cauliflower
*****
Main Course
Adam Smith MCA, Executive Chef, Woven by Adam Smith, Coworth Park, Ascot
Partridge Perigourdine, Celeriac, cep, spiced quince and Périgueux sauce
*****
Dessert
Benoit Blin MCA, Pastry Consultant and Bake Off Professionals Presenter
Raviole of exotic fruits, Kaffir lime and coconut
*****
Petits Fours
Alistair Birt MCA, Senior Head Pastry Chef, Harrods
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With accompanying wines from Berkmann Wine Cellars
Menu subject to change.
Meet our Chairs
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![Sergio Rebecchi]()
Sergio Rebecchi
Chair of Restaurant Management & Service
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![]()
Silvano Giraldin
Chair of Restaurant Management & Service
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![Benoit Blin MCA]()
Benoit Blin MCA
Chair of Pastry
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![Idris Caldora MCA]()
Idris Caldora MCA
MCA Chair
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![Yolande Stanley MCA]()
Yolande Stanley MCA
Chair of Pastry
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![Adam Smith MCA]()
Adam Smith MCA
Chair of Kitchen
Committees and Judges
Chair of the MCA: Idris Caldora MCA, Executive Chef, Adopt a School
Chefs
Chair: Adam Smith MCA, Executive Chef, Coworth Park
Committee: Adam Bennett MCA, Chef Director, The Cross at Kenilworth
Jeff Galvin MCA, Chef Patron Galvin Restaurants
André Garrett MCA, Group Culinary Director, Claude Bosi Restaurants
Martin Green MCA, Head Chef, Whites Club
Spencer Metzger MCA, Row on 5
John Williams MBE, Executive Chef, The Ritz London
Pastry Chefs
Chair: Benoit Blin MCA, Head Pastry Chef, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Yolande Stanley MBE MCA, Consultant Pastry Chef Lecturer, The Pastry Training Company
Committee: Alistair Birt MCA, Senior Head Chef, Harrods Kitchens
Alain Roux, Chef Patron, The Waterside Inn
Clare Clark MBE MCA
Denis Drame MCA, Executive Chef, The Taste Lab, Classic Fine Foods
Kofi Addai-Mensah MCA, Owner, Crystal Patisserie
Jamie Houghton MCA, Pastry Chef, The French Laundry
Restaurant Management & Service
Chair: Silvano Giraldin, Director, Le Gavroche
Sergio Rebecchi, Director, Serenata Hospitality
Vice Chair: John Cousins, Director, The Food and Beverage Training Company
Didier Garnier, Proprietor, Le Colombier
Committee: Mourad Ben Tekfa MCA, Restaurant Director, The Seren Collection
Thomas Borghi MCA, Director of Food & Beverage, The Cadogan
Luigi Cagnin MCA, Food and Beverage Operations Manager, The Ritz Restaurant
Sergio Cappello MCA, Food and Beverage Manager The Landing Hotel
Joël Claustre MCA, Regional Director, Bill's Restaurants
Daniel Crump MCA, Proprietor/Director, The Greyhound, Beaconsfield
Alessandro Fasoli MCA, Managing Director, WSH Restaurants Ltd
Giovanni Ferlito MCA Head of Wine and Beverage, The Ritz London
Antonino Forte MCA
Simon Girling, Director of Food & Beverage, The Ritz London
Devid Isabella MCA,
Emmanuel Landré MCA Restaurant Manager Oswald’s
Rémy Lysé, Chief Operating Officer, The Arts Club
Michael Newton-Young MCA, Proprietor, Chez Moi Restaurant
Robert Rose MCA, Restaurant Director, Core by Clare Smyth
Vito Scaduto MCA, Director, La Terra
Thierry Tomasin MCA, Support Services Manager, Culinary Team The Gleneagles Hotel
Elaine Watson MCA, Food and Beverage Trainer, The Gleneagles Hotel
Master of Culinary Arts
CULINARY SKILLS
1987
Michael Aldridge MCA
Michel Perraud MCA
Antony Worrall Thompson MCA
1991
Steven Doherty MCA
Roger Narbett MCA
1996
Idris Caldora MCA
Mark Gregory MCA
Georg Heise MCA
2000
Jerome Ponchelle MCA
Keith Stanley MCA
Eyck Zimmer MCA
2005
André Garrett MCA
Martin Green MCA
2009
Michael Dutnall MCA
James Holah MCA
2013
William Best MCA
Jeremy Ford MCA
Frederick Forster MCA
Jeff Galvin MCA
Steve Love MCA
2017
Adam Bennett MCA
Chris Hill MCA
Adam Smith MCA
Adam Thomason MCA
Anthony Wright MCA
2022
George Blogg MCA
Spencer Metzger MCA
2026
Mehdi Lahmadi MCA
Ian Musgrave MCA
Adam Smith MCA
PASTRY
1996
Claire Clark MCA
2000
Yolande Stanley MCA
2005
Benoit Blin MCA
2009
Kofi Addai-Mensah MCA
2013
William Curley MCA
Denis Drame MCA
Paul Williams MCA
2022
Alistair Birt MCA
Jamie Houghton MCA
2026
Ben Christopherson MCA
RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE
1991
Franco Campioni MCA
Christophe Laurent MCA
1996
Donato Colasanto MCA
Thierry Tomasin MCA
2000
David Hayward MCA
Diego Masciaga MCA
Vito Scaduto MCA
2009
François Bertrand MCA
Joël Claustre MCA
Brad Gent MCA
Jean Kessler MCA
Emmanuel Landré MCA
Michael Newton-Young MCA
2013
Mourad Ben Tekfa MCA
Luigi Cagnin MCA
Sergio Cappello MCA
David Galetti MCA
Robert Rose MCA
Elaine Watson MCA
2017
Alessandro Fasoli MCA
Giovanni Ferlito MCA
2022
Thomas Borghi MCA
Daniel Crump MCA
Antonino Forte MCA
Devid Isabella MCA
2026
Valerio Badioli MCA
Thomas Gammella MCA
Tom Noller MCA
Andrea Nuninger MCA
Michael Pazsto MCA