Searcys has announced the winners of its Chef of the Year competition, held in partnership with Laurent-Perrier. The competition showcases culinary talent from across the Searcys estate while celebrating excellence in food and Champagne pairing.
Harry Wilson, General Manager, and Samuel Seedhouse, Head Chef, both of Searcys Events and Guards Polo Club, were named this year's winners after impressing judges with a menu that combined creativity, technical skill and strong Champagne pairings. Their menu opened with three canapés including “Forêt Sauvage.” a mushroom parfait coated in white mushroom powder gel to create the illusion of a fresh mushroom, served on a forest-scape canapé tray with dry ice; “Éclair de la Mer”, butter-poached langoustine with choux pastry, lemon, tarragon and chives, served on a platter of shells; and “Canard Impérial”, duck rillette with watercress and nasturtium mousse and a caramelised onion wafer, served on an oyster platter.
The starter, “Or des Marées”, featured hand-dived scallops, Chardonnay-infused grapes, charred globe artichoke, a Blanc de Blanc butter sauce and rose harissa oil, followed by the main course, “L’Oiseau Truffé”, consisting of guinea fowl stuffed with truffle, served with a coq au vin jaune sauce, rainbow chard and smoked pancetta. To finish, the dessert “Fraise, Fleur & Brisure” combined a white chocolate and pink peppercorn disk with a strawberry and elderflower parfait, clotted cream and honeycomb ice cream.
The competition was open for the first time to all Searcys team members rather than just Chefs, 12 teams entered, and went through a series of rounds before culminating in a live final, where four shortlisted teams prepared and presented their menus to a judging panel comprising of senior Searcys chefs and Laurent-Perrier ambassadors. Judges included Paul Jackson, Managing Director of Searcys; Richard Lewis, UK Sales Director at Laurent-Perrier; and two-Michelin-starred chef Alex Dilling of Hotel Café Royal.
“As a judge for the Chef of the Year Competition, it’s a real privilege to see the incredible talent and creativity across Searcys. The competition gives our chefs an opportunity to push their boundaries, showcase their technical skills, and create dishes that work alongside the Laurent-Perrier cuvées. It’s a fantastic celebration of culinary excellence and innovation. What stands out most about Chef of the Year is the commitment and pride our chefs bring to the competition. Judging their dishes is a great opportunity to see the high standards, creativity and attention to detail that define Searcys.”
Alex Dilling, British-American chef
British-American chef Alex Dilling, behind London’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant at Hotel Café Royal. Dilling's involvement in this year's competition comes after the launch of ASCEND by Alex Dilling at Horizon 22, the venue's first collaboration with a Michelin-starred chef. The annual Chef of the Year competition forms part of Searcys' commitment to developing culinary talent and encouraging innovation across its venue portfolio.
As the bespoke catering arm of the business, Searcys Events curates and delivers distinctive events across an impressive portfolio of partner venues, including Guildhall, Horizon 22, London Transport Museum, Royal Hospital Chelsea and Moco Museum. The team is also proud to be the catering partner at Guards Polo Club and has been entrusted with delivering hospitality at major events such as the Farnborough International Airshow, SailGP and a five-day cricket festival, showcasing its expertise across everything from intimate gatherings to large-scale, world-class occasions.
