Hospitality and Professional Cookery students from Southern Regional College (SRC) have secured their place in the 2026 Generation Chef grand final following an impressive performance at the College’s Newry campus.
Two student teams competed in a high-pressure challenge heat at the end of March with culinary skills in the kitchen and front of house service skills on the restaurant floor being closely observed. Teams were tasked with delivering a seamless dining experience while impressing a panel of industry judges. This included Michelin-starred chef Danni Barry and Gerard McClelland, General Manager of the Maghera Inn.
As winners of the 2025 Generation Chef final, SRC will host this year’s final on Thursday 30 April 2026 final at the College’s Newry campus. This will see student teams from across Northern Ireland’s Further Education College network compete in the grand finale.
Supported by Northern Ireland’s eleven Rotary Clubs, a network of business, professional and community leaders, the event aims to find and promote the next generation of Northern Ireland talent within the hospitality and food industry. The SRC regional heat was sponsored by WBR Credit Union and Fisher and Fisher solicitors.
During the event, visiting judge Danni Barry focused on how effectively teams communicated within the kitchen and between front and back of house, as well as the thinking behind their menu choices and ability to perform under pressure. Meanwhile, judge Gerard McClelland closely assessed the front-of-house operation, paying particular attention to customer interaction and the overall quality of table presentation.
Following a closely contested competition, the winning team comprising of Leon Ruddy (18) from Bleary, Eva Newell (18) from Kilkeel, and hospitality student Katie Gray (17) from Collone, Armagh secured their place in the Northern Ireland final. They narrowly edged out a strong competing team of Lubo Mulkearns (17) from Jonesborough, Simona Nagrodskyte (18) from Silverbridge, and Olivia Kaminska (16) from Newry.
With the final decision being extremely close, judges commended the student teams for their professionalism and teamwork. Menus for the final event remain under wraps as the winning team refine and perfect their dishes ahead of the upcoming final.
Speaking after the event, student Eva Newell said:
“Today’s experience was challenging but really enjoyable. I’m looking forward to pushing myself further in the grand final and seeing how far we can go.”
Leon Ruddy added:
“I’m absolutely delighted to be representing SRC in the Generation Chef competition. We’re expecting strong competition from other colleges, and it’s going to be an amazing experience.”
Michelle Moore, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College commented:
“Generation Chef is an excellent competition that provides aspiring chefs and front-of-house students across all six further education colleges in Northern Ireland with a valuable platform to showcase their talent, creativity, and professionalism. These events are made possible through the continued dedication and support of our Culinary Arts Lecturers, Lynette and Keith, and our Hospitality Lecturer, Seamus.
The competition generates great excitement on the day, offering students a unique opportunity to collaborate, demonstrate teamwork, and gain experience in a high‑pressure, industry‑focused environment.
Last year, we were exceptionally proud of our staff and students at SRC when we were crowned the Northern Ireland Final winners of Generation Chef. This year, we are delighted to be hosting the NI Final on 30 April, and we look forward to welcoming competitors and guests to what promises to be another outstanding event, with student prizes sponsored by Henderson Foodservice, TMR Hotels, and Hastings Hotels.”