About the Competition
Our Goal
Our Goal is to Create Opportunity
Since our first Balmoral Hotel Master*Chef events in 2017, we have been committed to recognising upcoming chefs and rewarding them for their craft.
Now, in 2025, we have decided to broaden our search to the island of Ireland to find local talent on a national scale.
We will be arranging a talent search of the country to take part in Ireland’s Next Top Chef and we need entrants who share our same ethos to create opportunities and develop talent within Ireland’s hospitality industry.
Our History
The competition originated back in 2017 under the Balmoral Hotel Professional Master*Chef banner - which was an event held during the Féile an Phobail celebrations. It continued in 2018 and 2019 and then, like many other events, was put on hiatus during the COVID pandemic.
In 2023, the event returned with a new name, new look and new ambition- to find Ireland's Next Top Chef. The competition is back in 2025 for its third consecutive year, hotter than ever and ready to crown the next culinary star.
2025 Prizes
The winner will receive an invitation to cook and train under the supervision of a leading culinary team at the prestigious 2 Michelin Star restaurant: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (London).
All travel and accommodation (5 nights) expenses will also be covered. This is in addition to an amazing selection of prizes courtesy of our sponsors, including Limited Edition Chef Apron, Service Works London apparel and prestigious Katto Knife products - plus the coveted Ireland’s Next Top Chef trophy!
2025 Judges
Over the years, the competition has welcomed top chefs from across the country to deliver their expert verdicts. In 2025, the current judges are a reflection of the growth and meteoric rise in standard which the competition has achieved since its inception.
This year joining the panel is Chef Sergi De Meià 26 years of experience. Chef Serg Studied in Barcelona, Girona and Montpelier culinary institutes and has worked worldwide including Akelarre in San Sebastian a 3* Michelin restaurant.
Now in his third year with the competition, famed Restaurant Critic and Judge on BBC's Farm to Feast, Joris Minne will be rejoining the panel. Renowned for his sharp palate and eloquent prose, Joris Minne brings decades of culinary expertise and journalistic flair to the judging table. His deep knowledge of Ireland’s evolving food scene makes him an invaluable voice in the search for the country’s next top chef.
