With the completion of the southern regional finals of the Young Chef Young Waiter competition, eight chefs and eight waiters are now going through to the national finals, to be held at Westminster Kingsway College on 6 October.

Headline sponsor for the competition this year, organised by The Restaurant Association and the British Hospitality Association, was von Essen Hotels.

Two of von Essen's collection of 28 luxury country house hotels - Seaham Hall in Co Durham and Cliveden in Berkshire - were the venues for the northern and southern regional waiters' competitions. It was the first time in the competition's 25 year history that the waiters provided a full lunch service to invited guests, under the eye of a panel of judges; previously they undertook specific tasks before the judges.

Winners Roll Call

CHEFS
The winner of the southern regional chef final, held at Thames Valley University, Ealing was Shaun Dickens, L'Ortolan restaurant, Reading.

Runners-up were:
Nicholas Hill, The Ledbury, London W11
Andrew McFadden, Pied a Terre, London W1
Eliza Thomas, Jackson Gilmour, Croydon

The winner of the northern regional chef competition, held at Darlington College was Rose Greene from Le Champignon Sauvage, Cheltenham.

Runners-up were:
Mark Stinchcombe (Lucknam Park, Chippenham, Wilts)
Jenny Thoden (The Church Green, Lymm, Cheshire)
Lahiru Jayasekara (Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, New Milton, Oxford).

Chairman of the seven-strong panel of chef judges was Bruce Poole of Chez Bruce, London.

WAITERS
Winner of the southern waiters' competition held at Cliveden this week was Marco Fusato, The Ritz, London W1.

Runners up:
Matthew Balman, Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon
Sarah Cooper, The Ledbury, London W11
Julie Doig, Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, W1

Winner of the nothern regional waiters' competition held at Seaham Hall was Harald Prock (Mosimann's, London).

Runners up:
Catherine Hudson (The Longridge Restaurant, Preston)
Daniel Campbell (Number One Restaurant, Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh)
Peter Saunders (Northcote, Blackburn).

Chairman of the panel of waiters' judges was Stephen Mannock from the National Skills Academy for Hospitality.

Chairman of The Restaurant Association, Bob Walton, who presented the prizes, said that the standard of entries this year was as high as ever. "Once again, Young Chef Young Waiter continues to highlight the talent that the hospitality industry is producing," he said. "This year, the competition - at Seaham Hall and Cliveden - took a huge step forward with the waiters serving a complete meal to paying guests for the first time in the two regional heats."

Each waiter had to serve a complete meal, including wine and cheese, to a table for two paying guests.

"This was a highly realistic competition which brought out the best in all the competitors and paves the forward for the future development of the competition."

He added that the sponsorship of von Essen hotels and the continuing long-standing support of the Savoy Educational Trust, American Express, HSBC, Sodexo, S.Pellegrino and Wild Harvest, together with new sponsors for 2009, Laurent Perrier and Matthew Clark, highlighted the importance of the competition in the industry.

The eight southern regional winners go forward to the national finals on 6 October with the winners of the northern regional finals, held earlier month:

The winners of this year's Young Chef Young Waiter Competition will then be announced in style at the prestigious National Final Gala Dinner to be held on Tuesday 6 October at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Knightsbridge.

To celebrate the achievements of all 16 national finalists, the evening commences at 6:00 PM with a Laurent Perrier Champagne Reception followed by a sumptuous Gala Dinner prepared by Simon Young, the Executive Chef at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower.

Individual places are available for £125 + VAT and tables of 10 for £1150 + VAT.

To book your place and applaud the achievements of the hospitality industry's rising stars please contact James Duke-Smith on 020 7404 7744 or email [email protected]

Alternatively, click here to download the event booking form.

Photograph: Winner, Mark Fusato (Ritz Hotel) and runners-up of the southern Young Chef Young Waiters regional final at Cliveden yesterday - left to right: Julie Doig (Gordon Ramsay at Claridges), Marco Fusato, Bob Walton (chairman, The Restaurant Association), Matthew Balman (Gidleigh Park) and Sarah Cooper (The Ledbury).