The Egg Award 2013 Judging Panel

Rachel McCormack teaches the Catalan style of cooking In classes at Bea’s of Bloomsbury where Rachel tries to re-create the kind of meal that she has at her friends’ houses in Barcelona and other parts of Catalonia.  She's also a panelist on The Kitchen Cabinet, a Radio 4 food panel show presented by Jay Rayner.

Rachel says "It’s great fun being a panelist on Radio 4′s The Kitchen Cabinet."  Jay Rayner is the host of this new food panel show.  Every week we visit a different foodie location in the UK and answer cooking questions from a live audience.






Another great acquisition for the judging panel for the inaugural Egg Award is celebrated chef Ernst van Zyl who is currently Head Chef at the 2 AA Rosette Etrop Grange Hotel in Manchester, and has recently made some big waves in cooking circles producing some much lauded dishes which are as stunning in their presentation as they deliver on flavour.  

Ernst (or Ernie Chef as he is lovingly referred to) has secured a placement at Noma in Copenhagen for five weeks. Noma is classed as one of the 50 best restaurants in the world and annually they are always featured in the top ten.






The Egg Award is pleased to welcome Masterchef 2012 contestant Alec Tomasso to the judging panel.  He narrowly missed out on making it through to the next round and since then has gone from strength to strength with his own food blog, The Weeping Chef, working in 1 and 2 Michelin starred kitchens and cooking up a storm as chef in The Cheese Kitchen Bistro, Bedford.

Of his time on Masterchef he said - "I loved every moment of it, I knew my wife and friends love my cooking, but I’m the least artistic person in the world and my presentation is at it’s best old fashioned and childish… pile it high on the plate and get stuck in I say!!

The fourth judge invited to take part in The Egg Award 2013 is rising talent Jonny Marsh from Manchester.  As a schoolboy Jonny spent every Saturday working in the kitchens of the sadly now defunct Manchester restaurant, Brasserie Blanc, despite being too young to be paid.  But his talent and determination paid off when world-renowned chef Raymond Blanc met Jonny at the eaterie back in 2008.  Jonny was invited to Blanc's Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons and was offered an apprenticeship. He gained experience and knowledge from the experts.

The latest addition to The Egg Award 2013 judging panel needs little introduction as it's Edinburgh chef and BBC 1 Great British Menu contestant Mark Greenaway! He's chef patron of  Restaurant Mark Greenaway, which is based on 69 North Castle Street, Edinburgh.  The restaurant first opened in 2011 at its original location at No 12 Picardy place, where mark soon gained a superb reputation for its imaginative, creative and modern style of cooking.

Mark Greenaway received nationwide acclaim following the opening of his eponymous restaurant in Edinburgh in February 2011. The following January Mark was the only Scottish chef to be newly awarded 3 AA Rosettes for outstanding cuisine.  In April 2012 Mark represented Scotland on BBC2’s Great British Menu and appears again in the 2013 series.