Awarded Young Chef of the Year

Paul Nicholson, head chef of The Orangery at Rockliffe Hall, said: “Abigail is an incredibly passionate and talented young chef. She is brimming with enthusiasm for the industry and her menu for the young chef of the year competition was exceptionally executed. I’m so excited to see where Abigail’s culinary career develops in the future and am so proud of her achievements.”

When asked about her win, Abigail said: “The thing I enjoyed most about the day of the competition was being surrounded by driven people who shared the same passion and interest for food and cooking as myself. The competition has already opened so many doors for me including conversations and opportunities with incredibly skilled chefs who are at the top of their game in the industry.”

She continued: “Paul Nicholson, Head Chef of The Orangery at Rockliffe Hall, has taught me so much and I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor for the beginning of my career. With his guidance I know appreciate the importance and beauty of fresh, seasonal ingredients, clean plates and well-executed dishes.”

This is the third accolade Abigail has achieved in her early-culinary career, having achieved ‘Gold’ at the Craft Guild of Chefs Mayor Chefs Culinary Challenge 2023 and achieving ‘Silver’ at the Salon Culinaire Major Chefs Culinary Challenge 2024.

We are incredibly proud of Abigail and her achievements to date!