Held on Friday 20th March, at Grand Station in Wolverhampton, the event focussed on food, collaboration and practical innovation. Designed around the realities of day-to-day delivery, Angel Hill Live showcased new concepts and products.
The Chef of the Year competition, led by executive development chef Dan Ferrand, brought together chefs from across the business, recognising the skill, creativity and consistency behind the food delivered every day, while providing a platform to push standards further.
This year’s finalists, Anthony Clark, Jennifer Brown, Jamie Carless, Tristen Cleveland, Tom Ware and Darren Barnes, competed in a live cook-off at Angel Hill Live presenting their dishes to an expert judging panel.
Cooking under pressure, each finalist demonstrated strong technical ability, thoughtful flavour combinations and a clear understanding of how dishes translate into real service environments.
Jamie Carless was named Chef of the Year 2026, impressing judges with a standout dish of Cauliflower Three Ways, showcasing creativity, balance and a confident approach to plant-forward cooking.
Chris Ince, chef director at Angel Hill Food Co, said: “Angel Hill Live is a real celebration of our brand, our food and our supply chain. Everything from fruit and veg, to workwear and coffee, right through to the latest innovation our partners are bringing forward.
“There was a strong focus on environmental and user-friendly products, alongside ideas and solutions that work in practice. We are proud to continue evolving how we deliver food to our customers – always having health and nutrition as the cornerstones of what we do.”