As you arrive at the beautiful Obsessed Lab in Newbury, basil, flowers, lettuce and strawberries greet you from living walls, the morning sun catches the tops of corn stalks, conversation flows easily between chefs, nutritionists, gardeners, growers, mixologists and food innovators, and someone may even hand you an espresso fizz amidst the birdsong. Before a single pan was heated, there was a foundation being laid for the day: good food doesn’t begin in the kitchen.
The 2026 BaxterStorey Chef Battle took place on the 23rd of June, 2026.
The day unfolded as an immersive celebration of sustainable hospitality. Guests were welcomed with breakfast in the garden before two high-pressure Chef Battle heats saw twelve finalist teams compete for the title. Between the action, internationally renowned chefs Sammy Monsour and Kiran Jethwa delivered live demonstrations, while guests explored BaxterStorey’s edible gardens, vertical growing innovations, sustainable drinks experiences, networking spaces, afternoon tea and wood-fired dining. The day culminated in the deliberations of our judges – Jenny Chandler, Palmiro Ocampo, Rik Razza and Simon Attridge, the crowning of the 2026 Chef Battle duo champions, and a celebration of the chefs, growers, mentors and partners shaping a more resilient future for food.
The question asked across the many elements of the day was: can sustainable, affordable and accessible food also be the most exciting and delicious?
The answer emerged everywhere: It was creative. It was nourishing. It was ambitious. And it was, without question, delicious.
The Story Begins Long Before the Kitchen
Every dish plated during the competition carried months of preparation behind it, reflecting the wider ambition of BaxterStorey’s Sustainable Nutrition Strategy, developed in partnership with the Chefs’ Manifesto. The Chefs’ Manifesto Thematic Areas echoed through the whole day.
Outside the kitchens, BaxterStorey’s gardens demonstrated how productive growing can flourish in small, even indoor, spaces. Led by Baxterstorey Obsessed Lab gardener Darren, vegetables, beans, herbs and even colourful popcorn maize illustrated how chefs and growers work together to decide what is planted, creating menus that begin with the landscape.
Nearby, Jack from Urban Organic showcased vertical growing systems alongside mushrooms cultivated with local partners the Caley Brothers, demonstrating how technology, biodiversity and nutrition can work together. Their message is refreshingly simple: innovation should occur within and in support of our environment.
Even lunch told that story. Beans picked fresh from the garden that morning found their way directly onto the plate prepared by Chef Steve Selwood – a reminder that the shortest supply chains often create the richest flavours.
Masterclass in Resilient Cooking
Throughout the day, resilience was the word on the plate.
Chef Sammy Monsour looked to the pantry. Using barley, chickpeas and lentils, he transformed humble staples into crisp, versatile ingredients, connecting ancient traditions from the Fertile Crescent with modern questions of biodiversity, food security and climate resilience.
His message was clear: some of the best solutions for tomorrow’s food system have been hiding in plain sight for centuries.
Chef Kiran Jethwa took a single ingredient – the chickpea – and demonstrated its remarkable versatility. Flour became crepes. Aquafaba (chickpea water) became aioli. Roasted chickpeas became popcorn. Fresh herbs were gathered directly from the garden moments before serving.
It was an elegant reminder that creativity often comes not from adding more ingredients, but from understanding the full potential of the ones already in front of us.
Judging More Than Flavour
For judge Jenny Chandler, great cooking has never been enough.
“I’m looking for the story behind the dish,” she explained. Procurement, sustainability and teamwork mattered just as much as flavour.
That emphasis reflected the competition itself. Experienced chefs were paired with rising talent, creating opportunities to mentor, teach and learn under pressure. Technical excellence remained essential, but collaboration became one of the day’s defining ingredients.
As the heats unfolded, that spirit was unmistakable. Ideas were exchanged between benches. Encouragement travelled as freely as aromas. Competition and camaraderie existed comfortably side by side.
The Future, Plated
When the judges reached their decision, the winning dishes shared a common thread.
First place went to Chefs Dom and Maddie, whose Hodmedod’s Split Fava Bean Gochujang Chilli with BaoTilla and Sticky Toffee NOT Miso Chocolate Mousse impressed not only for flavour and presentation, but for their creativity, affordability, simplicity, climate resilience and potential to scale across hospitality.
Second place was awarded to Chefs Colm and Oisin, whose menu celebrated Irish produce through broad beans, heritage potatoes, cider and dark chocolate.
Third place went to Chefs Flynn and Ukhun, whose Fava Bean Moi Moi and black bean brownie demonstrated how globally inspired cooking can celebrate nutritious, resilient ingredients with remarkable originality.
Taken together, the winning menus revealed a powerful shift in contemporary hospitality. Beans, pulses and locally sourced ingredients were not compromises or substitutes; they were the heroes of refined, ambitious and delicious cooking.
Every Decision Matters
The competition was only one part of the experience.
Guests moved between demonstrations, networking spaces and thoughtfully curated hospitality, from Chef Alex Pach’s seasonal afternoon tea to Chef Steve Selwood’s smoke and fire lunch. Even the drinks embodied the day’s values. The Extract Coffee team served BaxterStorey’s new Unity blend hot, chilled and as a refreshing espresso tonic, demonstrating how thoughtful sourcing, social impact and waste reduction can sit comfortably alongside exceptional hospitality.
Across every space, resilient food systems were on display in enchanting and inspiring ways. Often quiet, always brilliant. This begins with growers, gardeners, producers, innovators, suppliers and communities. It is strengthened through mentorship. It flourishes through collaboration.
Reflecting on the winners, Paul captured the spirit of the day well;
“Dom and Maddie hadn’t worked together before, but they were unified by their vision of resilient, nutritious and delicious food.”
Perhaps that is the greatest achievement of the 2026 BaxterStorey Chef Battle; that it demonstrated what is possible when an organisation invests in people, partnerships and purpose with the same care it invests in exceptional food to unify people and drive food system resilience forward. Every day, through sourcing decisions, menu development and the meals served to millions of people, chefs have an extraordinary opportunity to turn global ambitions into practical action. At the Chefs’ Manifesto we have long recognised this, and are excited by Baxterstorey’s work.
If this year’s Chef Battle proved anything, it is that nutritious, sustainable and delicious food should be the norm for every menu, every meal and everyone.
