Le Cordon Bleu Scholarship 2024 winner announced

The final stage of the competition took place at the institute in Bloomsbury, where the shortlisted finalists showcased their exceptional culinary skills in an exciting challenge.

Finalists were tasked with recreating a Provençal Tart demonstrated to them by Le Cordon Bleu London’s Head Cuisine Chef, Eric Bediat, in one of the institutes demonstration classrooms. The finalists had one hour and a half to recreate the dish in the teaching kitchen, before presenting to the judges.

The panel of distinguished judges included Chris Galvin of Galvin Restaurants, Emily Roux of Caractère, Phaidon’s Managing Culinary Editor Ellie Smith and Le Cordon Bleu’s Culinary Arts Director Chef Emil Minev. The competition was fierce, with all finalists demonstrating remarkable talent and creativity.

After much anticipation, Caoimhe O’Neill-McGuinness, from Eastbourne, East Sussex was announced the winner by Michel Roux Jr, Chef Owner of Chez Roux, at an elegant awards ceremony and dinner held at CORD Restaurant. Chris Galvin announced the runners up, with Fiona Fitwe from Belfast coming in second and William Walker-Hardie taking third place.

Upon winning the Scholarship, Caoimhe said “It feels amazing to be the winner of the 2024 Le Cordon Bleu scholarship. What an incredible prize, studying the Grand Diplôme^® and going having the internship at Cord producing food of such a high standard. It’s incredible to have Michel Roux Jr and Chris Galvin as mentors and to have the accommodation from Londonist is something I never would have been able to have without this scholarship. I never thought I’d be workshopping a cookbook with Phaidon or visiting the Andros factory in France to see what other career paths are like. I’m just so excited and can’t wait to start.”

The winner, Caoimhe O’Neill-McGuinness, has been awarded a full scholarship to pursue Le Cordon Bleu’s renowned Grand Diplôme^®, combining both cuisine and pâtisserie training, along with a coveted internship at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu, mentoring from Michel Roux Jr, and accommodation in London for a year from Londonist DMC —an extraordinary prize package valued at over £60,000.

Caoimhe will also enjoy a range of exclusive prizes provided by the scholarship's esteemed sponsors. These include a work experience session with the renowned Galvin Restaurants, a behind-the-scenes trip to Andros HQ in South-West France, and one-on-one time with Phaidon’s Managing Culinary Editor, Ellie Smith, offering a unique opportunity to learn about the cookbook creation process. The winner and runners-up also received bottles of wine and Champagne from prestigious producers Gosset and Louis Latour, adding to the celebration of their success.

Emil Minev, Culinary Arts Director at Le Cordon Bleu London, commented:   
"We were thoroughly impressed with the level of talent displayed by all of our finalists. Caoimhe truly stood out for her passion, drive and an excellent dish presented, and we are excited to see what she will achieve in her culinary career. This competition is a testament to the incredible future that awaits the next generation of chefs, and we are honoured to be part of Caoimhe’s journey."

The competition, designed to identify and nurture the next generation of culinary talent, was one of the most competitive in recent years. The evening was attended by leading figures from the hospitality industry, including celebrated chefs and restaurateurs. Guests at the awards dinner celebrated the finalists’ achievements while enjoying a reception and exquisite meal prepared by CORD’s Executive Chef, Karl O’Dell, and his team.

Le Cordon Bleu London would like to thank all of the Finalists in the Scholarship and congratulate them on their exceptional performance throughout the competition.

Find out more about Le Cordon Bleu London’s programmes and courses and our Scholarship competitions.