Gretel Nava receives Oxford Guild of Chefs prize

Entrants to the Junior Chef of the Year competition must be new to the culinary industry, having under four years’ experience. Each competitor is required to produce four selections of canapés – one meat, one fish, one vegetarian, and one plant-based – with eight canapés in each selection. This must be done within three hours, with certain ingredients pre-determined.

In this year’s competition, held on 16 April at the City of Oxford College, chefs were required to produce their canapés with Koffmann’s Blue potatoes as the main element. Legendary chef Pierre Koffmann himself led the panel of judges that decided the winners of five awards – one for each of the four selections of canapés, plus an award for the best chef overall. Noting that potatoes ‘are a humble yet extremely versatile ingredient’, the judges stated their expectation of ‘an array of imaginative and skilfully crafted dishes’. Competitors were also encouraged to focus on sustainability and environmental impact when designing their dishes.

As the winner in the plant-based canapé category, Christ Church Commis Chef Gretel Nava was invited to produce her winning canapé at the City of Oxford Guild of Chefs Gala Dinner hosted at Trinity College on 3 May, served at a welcome drinks reception for some 200 guests. She was then welcomed to attend the black-tie dinner with a guest at which she was presented with her award and a prize. The prize – a £400 voucher redeemable at luxury hotel and restaurant chain Belmond – was presented by Pierre Koffmann, Master of the Oxford Guild of Chefs Ben Gibbons, and Gary Jones of Oxford’s two Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.

The Christ Church community would like to congratulate Gretel on this remarkable achievement and to wish her all the very best as she continues her culinary career.