Dylan Evans, of Henrock by Simon Rogan at Linthwaite House in the Lake District, has won the HIT Training Sustainability Award at Young National Chef of the Year. A former student of the Academy by Simon Rogan and Kendal College, Dylan was one of two Henrock chefs in the final, alongside his colleague Hope Ryall-Thurlow.

The award recognises young chefs who source responsibly, minimise waste and cook with the environment in mind. It was judged by Paul Mannering, national hospitality and culinary lead at HIT Training, who watched the finalists closely throughout the cook-off.

The 12 finalists had two hours at Le Cordon Bleu London to prepare a three-course menu in response to a brief that celebrated innovation, sustainability and seasonality. The starter had to feature fresh salmon, the main course venison loin plus one additional cut of the chef’s choice, and dessert was a whole baked egg custard tart.

Sustainability ran through Dylan’s entire menu. He cooked in a closed loop, using every ingredient fully so that nothing was wasted, and avoided single-use plastic. The dish he was proudest of was his salmon starter, served with a doubanjiang, a staple of Sichuan cuisine, which he made entirely from British ingredients, including homegrown lemon drop chillies and broad beans. Throughout the menu, he seasoned with homemade stocks and with treacles made from vegetable skins and trim. For dessert, he drew on his skill in preserving and fermenting with a smoked squash miso custard tart, served with sea buckthorn and squash marmalade.

Dylan Evans Photo: Hospitality Media for Craft Guild of Chefs

Sustainability is how I was taught to cook at the Academy by Simon Rogan, where every ingredient is treated with respect, and nothing is wasted. To be recognised for that at Young National Chef of the Year means a huge amount. I’m grateful to the team at Henrock for their support and guidance, especially head chef Mark McCabe, and to the judges for their feedback. Cooking alongside such talented chefs in the final was an experience I’ll learn from for a long time.

Mark McCabe, head chef at Henrock, said: “We’re incredibly proud of Dylan, and of Hope, who also cooked brilliantly to reach the final. To have two of our chefs among the 12 finalists says a lot about their talent and the hard work they’ve put in. Sustainability isn’t something we add on at Henrock; it’s how we cook every day. Seeing Dylan take that approach onto a national stage, and be recognised for it by some of the best chefs in the country, is fantastic for him and for the whole team. It’s a really well-deserved award.”

Dylan grew up in North Wales and worked in his family’s restaurants from the age of nine. He began his fine dining career at Sosban before joining the Academy by Simon Rogan, which proved a turning point. Working across Simon Rogan’s Lake District restaurants, alongside some of the most talented teams in British hospitality, has sharpened his skills and deepened his love of cooking.

To reach the final, competitors came through a demanding selection process. Live semi-finals returned for the first time since 2019, with chefs cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen, against the clock, in front of leading industry figures, including Chair of Judges Tom Shepherd and Cherish Finden, Chair of Pastry for both National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year.

The final was judged by a panel of renowned chefs led by Tom Shepherd, chef patron of Upstairs by Tom Shepherd. He was joined by fellow former National Chef of the Year winners Ben Murphy, head chef of 74 Charlotte Street by Ben Murphy, and Simon Hulstone, chef proprietor of The Elephant Restaurant. Danny Young, head chef at The Torridon and the current National Chef of the Year, also sat on the panel.

The panel also included James Golding, chef director and co-owner of Nomadic Sporadic; Paul Askew, chef patron of The Art School; Lisa Goodwin-Allen, chef patron-director of Northcote; Jean Delport, executive chef at Interlude; Kenny Atkinson, chef patron of House of Tides and Solstice; and Eric Bediat, head cuisine chef at Le Cordon Bleu London.

The desserts were judged by some of the most respected names in pastry: Michael Kwan, executive pastry chef at ONSU; Martin Chiffers, international executive pastry chef consultant; Mark Perkins, executive pastry chef at Rosewood London; and international pastry consultant Benoit Blin.

The winners were revealed at an awards ceremony at The Orangery TCR, a Good Eating Company restaurant, attended by chefs, judges, sponsors and supporters.

Tom Shepherd, Chair of Young National Chef of the Year, said: “From the moment the final began, it was clear we were going to see an incredibly high standard of cooking. These young chefs brought such energy and focus into the kitchen, and they should all feel enormously proud of what they achieved.”

David Mulcahy, competition director and vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: “Young National Chef of the Year is about recognising talent early and allowing ambitious chefs to show the industry what they can do. Every finalist has gained something valuable from this experience, whether that is greater confidence, new friendships, feedback from respected chefs or the chance to cook under intense pressure, which will help as they progress in their careers.”