The Royal Albion Hotel in Maidstone, Kent has won the Best of British chef competition run by foodservice supplier Brakes and master brewer Shepherd Neame.

The competition, entered by chefs from the estate of managed Shepherd Neame houses, asked chefs to submit recipes, costings and images of two innovative dishes created using British ingredients supplied by Brakes.

First round judging took place in late July by celebrity chef Richard Phillips, Brakes development chef John Homewood and Brakes food centre manager Zoe Gill.

The three finalists from The Wharf, The Marine Hotel and the Royal Albion Hotel all based in Kent, were joined by Richard Phillips at Brakes Group head office in London’s Covent Garden on Tuesday 2 August for the final live ‘cook off.’

The competition was launched to celebrate British Food Fortnight (17 September to 2 October) and raise awareness of British products.

Stephen Osbourn, the winning chef from The Royal Albion created a two course meal of Roast cod rarebit on leek and thyme potato cake with pea purée, red amaranth and fish foam, followed by a baked stilton and Bramley apple cheesecake on a poppy seed and walnut base with balsamic dressed strawberries, produced exclusively from British ingredients.

Sally Sturley Head of food marketing at Brakes, saidd: “The calibre of entries this year was extremely high, showing strong support in pubs across the country for British produce.“

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