The results are in from the Compass Ireland Chef of the Year 2024 (COTY) competition!
This year’s event brought together 13 of our most talented chefs, each competing to showcase their expertise and creativity across a range of global cuisines. It was the biggest and most intensely contested COTY in Compass Ireland's history and served as a powerful reminder of the outstanding skill, innovation, and commitment that define our culinary culture.
Each chef was tasked with presenting a globally inspired menu, judged against comprehensive criteria including taste, cleanliness, waste management, presentation, allergen awareness, and adherence to the brief.
The judging panel comprised some of Compass Ireland’s most experienced chefs: Shay Kendrick, Brian Loftus, and David Mahoney. Flavours from the Caribbean, Korea, Palestine, and Mexico graced the judges' palates, but only one menu could be crowned the winner.
Announcing the Winner: Paul McCloskey
We are thrilled to announce that Paul McCloskey has been named the Compass Ireland Chef of the Year 2024. As a Chef de Partie, Paul has already shown immense potential, contributing significantly to Ulster University’s VERT Café's success at the 2024 CUBO Awards. His winning entry for the Chef of the Year competition featured a plant-forward Korean menu praised by the judges for its sustainability, innovation, and bold flavours.
Paul's winning menu will soon be available across Compass Ireland locations, bringing vibrant, plant-forward Korean cuisine to a broader audience. As the winner, Paul will join our second-place contestant on an all-expenses-paid culinary tour of London, courtesy of our sponsors at Santa Maria.
Recognising Our Runners-Up: Victor Santos and Maciej Hildebrandt
Victor Henrique Naves Santos, who has been with Compass Ireland for just a few months, earned second place with his Eastern Mediterranean-inspired menu. His mastery of spices, showcased in his mouthwatering Arayes, deeply impressed the judges and secured him a spot on the London culinary tour alongside Paul.
In third place was Maciej Hildebrandt, a dedicated member of Compass Ireland for over 17 years. Maciej’s journey from Chef de Partie to Executive Chef of our production kitchen at CPK exemplifies his commitment to growth and excellence. His Korean Bibimbap dish was another standout entry that narrowly missed earning second place.
A Round of Applause for All of the Finalists
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our finalists: Allan Kelleher, Shane Heffernan, Nicola Barrett, David Magee, Daniel Kadar, Matt Hinde, Francisco Gomes De Silva Neto, Thomas Long, Nicolas Galdino, and Deniss Ļašenko.
Their hard work and dedication were evident throughout the competition, and we are proud to have such talented individuals as part of the Compass Ireland culinary brigade.
Acknowledging Our Sponsors
We would like to sincerely thank our sponsors: Santa Maria, Hugh Jordan, Odaios Foods, Alltype Ltd, and Uniformal, for their support in this year’s Chef of the Year competition. Their contributions were invaluable in making this event a success and celebrating our chefs' culinary achievements.
As we continue to nurture and develop the incredible talent within Compass Ireland, we look forward to seeing how the competition inspires our chefs to push the boundaries of creativity as we head towards 2025!
