Dorset chef Ben Champkin has narrowly missed out after competing in the finals of one of the UK's most prestigious cooking competitions.

Ben, of Sherborne, who is Head Chef at the Newt in Somerset competed against five other finalists in a highly challenging final cook-off held at Westminster Kingsway College, London on Monday, April 3.

It was 30-year-old Ben's fourth appearance in a national final, and his last shot at victory as he has now reached the age limit for the competition.

Dorset Echo: Dorset Chef Ben Champkin cooked his way to a fourth final in 2023Dorset Chef Ben Champkin cooked his way to a fourth final in 2023 (Image: Jodi Hinds)

For this year's final, the six chefs were asked to prepare their own dish using a variety of ingredients, along the theme of Pâté Chaud de Lotte (hot monkfish pie) - a recipe originally created by the Troisgros family.

At the start of the competition, the chefs were shown a table displaying dozens of ingredients that would allow them to interpret the brief as they chose. The only ingredients they were obliged to use were the monkfish and whole black truffle.

The winner was announced at an exclusive awards dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in front of a small audience comprising the finalists’ guests, sponsors and judges, with the ceremony live-streamed via the Roux Scholarship website and YouTube channel.

The winner was April Lily Partridge, a 29-year-old sous chef from The Ledbury.

Dorset Echo: It was not to be for Ben, as judges chose April Lily Partridge as the winner for 2023It was not to be for Ben, as judges chose April Lily Partridge as the winner for 2023 (Image: Jodi Hinds)

Michel Roux Jr said: “It was an exceptional final. I thought we were in for a good final and so it proved. We had six finalists, six styles and six very different dishes. The new format allowed the chefs to truly show off their skills and character on a plate. Given a wider choice of ingredients they all rose to the challenge and our guest judges said they’ll be taking some of the ideas back home with them to France.”

Alain Roux said: “It was a tremendous challenge, they had to do it all in their own vision as they wouldn’t have come across the dish before, so it was new to them all. Textures were so important in this competition and some of the six put a lot of work into it using a very large number of the ingredients. It was amazing.”