Teen chef from Haringey wins global culinary prize

Kamran Taylor is the first UK participant to win the prestigious Young Chef Olympiad

Capital City College Culinary and Hospitality Team — Kamran Taylor (centre) with Capital City College’s culinary and hospitality team

An 18-year-old chef from Haringey has won a coveted award for young chefs.

Kamran Taylor, who lives near Alexandra Palace, is the first UK participant to win the Young Chef Olympiad (YCO), the world’s largest culinary competition for young chefs.

Launched in 2015, this year’s final took place in Goa, India. Kamran, a third-year student at Capital City College’s culinary and hospitality school in Westminster, triumphed over competitors from more than 50 countries with his fish dish of baked barramundi with mousse.

The YCO, an annual event organised by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), attracts the most promising culinary talents from across the globe.

Angela Joyce, CEO at Capital City College, said: “This is an extraordinary achievement, not just for our student but for the UK’s culinary scene as a whole. Winning against the world’s best young chefs is a testament to the exceptional training, talent, and passion that we cultivate at Capital City College, Westminster.”

The competition featured “intense” rounds of cooking challenges and tested competitors on technique, creativity, taste, and presentation, under the scrutiny of a panel of international judges.

Kamran was able to participate in the competition thanks to a financial contribution from The Savoy Education Trust.

Unlike many in his field, Kamran didn’t grow up surrounded by a love of cooking—he only discovered it during lockdown, when he started baking banana bread and making spaghetti Bolognese. That casual pastime soon turned into a passion, and with the
full support of his family he decided to follow it seriously.

Kamran says he’s inspired by chef Adam Byatt and believes that a strong foundation in classical techniques will help him carve out his own unique style in the future.

When asked what advice he would give to any young person considering a career in professional cooking, Kamran had a simple but powerful message: “Just do it.”

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