Game Chef of the Year Competition 2025
Are you a chef with a passion for game cookery and a flair for bold, seasonal flavours?
The Master Chefs of Great Britain (MCGB) are proud to launch our very first Game Chef of the Year competition — a nationwide search for the most exciting talent in game cookery. This is your chance to showcase your skills, creativity and understanding of one of Britain’s most sustainable and flavour-packed ingredients — game.
The competition, the passion of the MCGB Chairman, George McIvor OBE, is designed to allow chefs to produce a main course game dish using furred or feathered game, giving you the opportunity to put your own flair and imagination into the dishes.
The Game Chef of the Year competition is open to all Chefs in the UK working full-time in the Catering Industry (MCGB membership is not required). Competitors will be given 1 ½ hours to produce 2 portions of an innovative Game main course, accompanied by three seasonal garnishes plus a potato or starch garnish. NB All game must be plucked or skinned prior to the competition.
The winner will receive
The George McIvor OBE Game Chef Trophy and £2000
A one week stage with Chef Mark Donald in the 2*Michelin Lalique Restaurant, Crieff
A three day gastronomic tour of Venice, Italy sponsored by UNOX
Key dates
Entries are now closed
Finalists announced: Extended to 16th September 2025 following an unexpected number of entries!
Final cook-off: Tuesday 21st October 2025
Competition details
Enormous thanks to all who entered our new Game Chef of the Year Competition 2025. After an overwhelming number of entries of exceptional calibre, we have doubled the number of finalists, and are thrilled to announce those going through to the next stage of the competition:
Gheorghe Amaicei – The Balmoral
Charlie Blyth – Old Manse of Blair
Craig Gordon – Buzzworks Holdings
Thomas James – Tesco Heart Building
Alan Hincenbergs – Raemoir House Hotel
David Millar – Carlowrie Castle
Neil Robertson – Fife Arms
Callum Smart – The Little Chartroom
The Finalist cook-off will take place at City of Glasgow College on Tuesday 21st October 2025. All finalists must bring all of their ingredients, presentation plates and cooking utensils.
Many thanks to our paper judges (in alphabetical order):
Darren Creed, MCGB Fellow
Mark Donald, Executive Chef at two Michelin Star Glenturret Lalique Restaurant
Stephen McLaughlin Head Chef at two Michelin Star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
Lorna McNee from Michelin Star Cail Bruich
Darren Seggie, Winner of the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship
Game Chef of the Year 2025, brought by Master Chefs of Great Britain. Whether you’re already confident working with game or eager to challenge yourself with a new ingredient, bring your creativity to the table and let Britain’s wild flavours do the talking.
Competition Terms and Conditions
Only one entry per individual. Entrants must submit an original recipe using at least one type of game, furred or feathered. Entries must be received by 7th September 2025 to be considered. Finalists will be selected by a panel of expert judges and invited to take part in a live cook-off at City of Glasgow College on Tuesday 21st October 2025. The organisers reserve the right to publish submitted recipes and images for promotional purposes. The competition is organised and administered by the Master Chefs of Great Britain, headquartered in Scotland. All decisions by the judging panel are final. By entering, participants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
