LESLEY WATERS – HEAD JUDGE
Lesley Waters Cookery School
Lesley studied French Cuisine for three years at Ealing College, which included time as a chef at the Waldorf Hotel, London.
During this training period, she won one gold, and two silver medals at Hotelympia and was awarded a scholarship to the Hotel InterContinental, Dusseldorf.
Lesley joined Prue Leith's restaurant and was quickly promoted to Senior Chef. She then worked as a freelance corporate chef and caterer for government officials before joining Leith's School of Food and Wine as an instructor, rising to Head Tutor.
Renowned for her regular television appearances on Ready Steady Cook, Great Food Live and This Morning, she is Head Judge of the ICG Competition.
Lesley is also a regular contributor to a number of food magazines including BBC Good Food Magazine, and an author of several cookery books. Lesley now runs her own cookery school in Shaftesbury.
We're delighted to announce that Lesley will be the head judge again for the 2024 finals.