Methus Sawangseang (Max), The Belfry Hotel & Resort’s Chef De Partie and UK Young Chef of the Year, has represented Great Britain in the world finals of the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs’ competition.
Having already been crowned winner of the national competition in May, Max secured a place among the top five Young Chefs of the Year globally at the finals in Budapest on October 5.
All competitors were presented with an identical ‘mystery box’ of ingredients from which they had to make a three-course menu for four people within four hours. Dishes were judged on taste, texture, presentation, balance and originality, with the contestants’ organisation and cleanliness in the kitchen also taken into consideration.
Robert Bates, Executive Chef at The Belfry, said: “This is an incredible achievement and so well deserved. Max is renowned amongst his colleagues for his methodical approach, organised nature and team spirit, and he has done The Belfry and Great Britain proud. He is a rising star, and we can’t wait for the industry to discover what we already know – that he has a long and distinguished culinary career ahead of him.”
Max, who began working at The Belfry in July 2023, was also recently crowned Best Newcomer at the Birmingham Hospitality Association Awards. Working his magic in the resort’s 2AA Rosette The Ryder Grill restaurant, which has just released its new a la carte Winter Menu, Max prepares ingredients for dishes including ‘preserved lemon and butter poached half lobster with charred sweetcorn, leeks, baby carrots, and rich lobster bisque’ and ‘confit belly of Orchard Farm pork with hand-dived scallops, garden peas, artichoke tempura, and red pepper coulis’.
The Young Chef of the Year competition was first organized by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, a leading international gastronomic society, in Switzerland in 1977. It is designed to support and promote future young chefs by giving them the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their skills.
For more information on The Ryder Grill’s new menu, or to book, please visit: https://www.thebelfry.com/dine/the-ryder-grill/.
