Cooking Competition Judges

THE JUDGES

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.

JACKS MCDONELL

Lesley Waters Cookery School

Having studied French Classical Cuisine at Ealing College, she worked in the hotel restaurant and directors fine dining industry for 15 years.

Jacks then moved into teaching at Leith's School of Food and Wine where she also worked on food styling for the Leith's cookery bible.

Following this she spent time in the publishing world, working as Deputy Food Editor, Food Stylist and Recipe Development Chef for IPC magazines. Jacks is now Head Teacher at the Lesley Waters Cookery School.

JAMES GOLDING

Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

James Golding is a graduate of the Specialised Chefs Scholarship. Placed at the Savoy as part of this training, within 3 years he had completed all sections in this prestigious kitchen and in 1998 secured the position of Demi Chef de Partie at Le Caprice.

James was Chef Director of The Pig Group, and has been listed in the Conde Nast top 15 hotels in the world. He is now Sustainability Chair at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.

PAUL DAYMAN

Bournemouth & Poole College

Paul is a former Specialised Chef graduate who now has the privilege of teaching the current students on the programme, which is one of the most prestigious culinary courses in the country.

Having taken part himself in various competitions, he now mentors students for events including Salon Culinaire at Hotelympia and the Entente Cordiale in France.

STEVE JAMES

Steve James LTD

Steve is a multi-award-winning personal chef covering Somerset and Dorset. Steve specialises in supper clubs and private dinning at his farmhouse in Somerset. He is also a recipe developer with his recipes being featured in several magazines and online publications.

Steve was a student at Lesley Waters Cookery School and is now one of the main teachers.

LUKE MATTHEWS

Chewton Glen Hotel

In November 2003, Luke was appointed Executive Head Chef at The Chewton Glen Hotel, in what is described by Conde Nast as "one of the world's best hotels'.

At 16, he started an apprenticeship in The Green Park Hotel, Bournemouth, before moving to the Dormy Hotel at Ferndown. Later, he completed work experience at Chewton Glen. Now, Luke is kept pretty busy as a chef but also manages forty staff, controls a considerable budget, finds and procures top local produce, teaches, plans, organises, socialises and is a role model for his team.