Liverpool’s Finest Chefs Serve Up a Spectacular North West Chefs’ Forum Lunch at Hilton Liverpool City Centre
The Chefs’ Forum brought together leading chefs, hospitality professionals, industry suppliers and the next generation of culinary talent for a spectacular North West Chefs’ Lunch at Hilton Liverpool City Centre on Monday 9th November 2026.
The event celebrated outstanding regional culinary talent, exceptional British and Australian produce and, most importantly, the value of bringing hospitality education and industry together.
Hosted by Hilton Liverpool City Centre, the lunch featured a magnificent five-course menu created by four accomplished chefs, supported by premium ingredient suppliers and hospitality partners.
Students from L20 Hotel School had the opportunity to work alongside established professionals, gaining invaluable experience at a high-profile industry event and learning the standards expected in a professional hospitality environment.
Four Chefs, Five Courses and a Celebration of Exceptional Produce
Guests were welcomed with a glass of Silver Reign Brut NV from Silverhand Estate in Kent, then seated to a menu showcasing culinary creativity, technical excellence and exceptional ingredients.
Peter Smeaton and Sapphire Miles of Pure Ionic Water then gave a water tasting to showcase delicious microfiltered water. They also held a raffle to win a system, which Casarima Restaurant, Liverpool claimed.
A Taste of Australia – Chef Eddie Kilty
Chef Eddie Kilty, Chef Patron of Kilty & Co, created the opening course: an innovative Australian lamb dish featuring aged mutton lamb tartare, confit root vegetables and roasted vegetable broth, served with sourdough bread and lamb fat butter.
The dish, titled Aussie Lamb “Scouse”, offered a contemporary take on Liverpool’s most famous traditional dish, celebrating the rich flavour and versatility of Australian lamb.
Eddie said:
“Scouse is such an important part of Liverpool’s food heritage, so I wanted to create something that respected those roots while bringing a contemporary approach to the dish. Australian lamb has incredible depth of flavour, and using aged mutton allowed us to showcase its character in a really interesting way. It’s fantastic to cook for fellow chefs and to share that knowledge with the students.”
Aussie Beef & Lamb UK sponsored the meat for the event and played a central role in the event.
Emma Boughen, Business Development Manager for the UK commented:
“The Chefs’ Forum Lunches offer an excellent opportunity to showcase the quality, consistency and versatility of Australian red meat to professional chefs. From Eddie’s creative take on Scouse to Nathaniel’s Wagyu beef main course, the menu demonstrated how Australian produce can inspire exciting dishes across diverse culinary styles.”
A Stunning Seafood Course – Chef Kingsley Grant
The fish course was prepared by Chef Kingsley Grant, Head Chef at Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa, who served a beautifully composed monkfish ballotine with prawn, Thai basil and lime mousse, accompanied by a squash velouté with prawn powder and basil.
The dish brought together delicate seafood flavours and aromatic Asian influences, showcasing the chef’s technical skill and an imaginative approach to modern cuisine.
Kingsley said:
“Monkfish is such a fantastic fish to work with, thanks to its firm texture and versatility. I wanted to bring together the prawns’ sweetness, the freshness of Thai basil and lime, and the richness of the squash velouté. It’s a real privilege to showcase this seasonal dish to so many industry colleagues, to work alongside the students, and to represent Formby Hall.”
The seafood was generously sponsored by Neve Fleetwood, enabling the chef to showcase premium fish and seafood.
Sarah Nicholson, Head of Sales at Neve Fleetwood said:
“We’re delighted to support The Chefs’ Forum and to see our seafood showcased in such a creative dish. Working closely with chefs is fundamental to our work, and events like this allow us to demonstrate the quality of our produce while supporting the development of the next generation of culinary professionals.”
A Refreshing Interlude from Purbeck
Between the fish and main courses, guests enjoyed a refreshing Purbeck Sorbet Roulette, providing a playful palate cleanser ahead of the main event.
Purbeck Ice Cream also supplied the salted caramel ice cream for dessert, demonstrating the versatility of its Dorset-made products.
Sam Baker, National Accounts and Wholesale Manager from Purbeck Ice Cream said:
“We love seeing chefs use our products in imaginative ways. From a roulette of refreshing lemon, lime, mango, passionfruit or blood orange sorbet between courses to a delicious, salted caramel ice cream accompanying dessert, it was wonderful to be part of such a creative menu and an event that celebrates both quality ingredients and young hospitality talent.”
Australian Wagyu Takes Centre Stage – Chef Nathaniel Farrell
The main course was created by Chef Nathaniel Farrell, Executive Head Chef at Hilton Liverpool City Centre, who showcased Australian Wagyu beef fillet with celeriac dauphinoise, a braised Australian beef croquette, Jerusalem artichoke, Tenderstem, cavolo nero, chive oil, and a rich beef jus.
The dish demonstrated the exceptional quality of Australian beef, combining the luxurious tenderness of Wagyu with slow-cooked beef and carefully balanced seasonal accompaniments.
Nathaniel said:
“Australian Wagyu is an exceptional ingredient, and I wanted to create a dish that really celebrated its quality while demonstrating different cooking techniques. The combination of the fillet and braised beef croquette brings together two very different textures and flavour profiles. Hosting The Chefs’ Forum has also been a brilliant opportunity for our kitchen team to work with visiting chefs and enthusiastic hospitality students.”
A Decadent Finale – Chef Daniel Aladics
The lunch concluded with a spectacular dessert created by Chef Daniel Aladics, Head Pastry Chef at Gigi Gusto Griglia.
Daniel served a chocolate delice with pecan praline and Pink Lady sauce, accompanied by Purbeck salted caramel ice cream.
The dessert combined rich chocolate, crunchy praline and fresh fruit flavours, providing a fitting finale to the five-course celebration.
Daniel said:
“For me, a great dessert is all about balancing flavours and textures. The richness of the chocolate, the crunch of the pecan praline and the freshness of the Pink Lady sauce complemented the salted caramel ice cream perfectly. It’s always exciting to be involved in events where chefs can share ideas, showcase their skills and inspire young people entering our industry.”
Supporting the Next Generation of Hospitality Talent
While the food was undoubtedly a highlight, the event’s greatest legacy was the opportunity it offered hospitality students to gain hands-on experience alongside leading industry professionals.
Students from L20 Hotel School supported the event, experiencing the demands of a prestigious multi-course lunch and learning directly from chefs and hospitality teams working at the highest professional standards.
For the students, the experience offered far more than a day outside the classroom. It provided an insight into teamwork, communication, attention to detail, service standards and the career opportunities available across the hospitality industry.
Stephen Otty, Curriculum Manager Hospitality at L20 Hotel School said:
“The Chefs’ Forum lunch was a fantastic opportunity for our students to experience the hospitality industry first-hand. They gained valuable insights from leading chefs, developed their knowledge and confidence, and were inspired by the passion, creativity and professionalism on display. It was a truly rewarding experience for everyone involved.”
Victoria Lyon, Study Programme Coordinator at L20 Hotel School added:
“Opportunities like this are absolutely invaluable for our students. They get to experience the pace, precision and professionalism of a real industry event while working alongside chefs and hospitality professionals who are at the top of their game. It builds their confidence, develops their practical skills and, perhaps most importantly, helps them see the exciting careers that are available to them. We’re extremely grateful to The Chefs’ Forum and Hilton for making this possible. And I was so proud of our students today.”
Celebrating the Stars of the Day
Two outstanding students were recognised with The Chefs’ Forum Star of the Day awards, acknowledging their enthusiasm, professionalism and exceptional contribution to the event.
Jenny McNulty, Back of House Star of the Day, said:
“I absolutely loved being part of the lunch. Working alongside the professional chefs and seeing how a major event comes together have taught me so much. Winning Star of the Day was a complete surprise and has given me even more confidence to pursue my career in hospitality.”
Fellow winner, Ella Buckle, Front of House Star of the Day added:
“It was such an amazing experience to work with the chefs and the Hilton team. I learned so much about the wines we were pouring and the standards expected in a professional environment, and it was brilliant to see everyone working together to deliver such a fantastic event. Being recognised with this award means a lot to me. I was also offered a trial shift at Hilton by Head of Food, Stuart Duff and I can’t wait to come back for this.”
Bridging the Gap Between Education and Industry
For Hilton Liverpool City Centre, hosting The Chefs’ Forum Lunch was about much more than providing an impressive venue. It was an opportunity to invest in the future hospitality workforce and strengthen relationships between employers and education providers.
Stuart Duff, Head of Food, Hilton UK & Ireland said:
“The Chefs’ Forum Lunches are incredibly important because they bridge the gap between education and industry. We have a responsibility as hospitality employers to create meaningful opportunities for young people to experience the realities of working in our sector.
“By welcoming students into a professional environment, allowing them to work alongside experienced chefs and giving them the opportunity to develop their confidence, we’re helping to build the next generation of hospitality talent and I was really impressed by the students today. You can’t buy their obvious enthusiasm, great personalities and professionalism.”
General Manager, Phil Mcpeake added:
“This event is hugely beneficial for us as employers, especially as we head into events season and actively recruit for events team members. We meet passionate young people, showcase the exciting career opportunities available at Hilton, and build stronger relationships with our local colleges. This kind of collaboration is absolutely essential to the future success of our industry.”
A Collective Celebration of Industry Partnerships
The success of the lunch was made possible by the generosity and collaboration of a fantastic group of sponsors and suppliers.
Delifresh supported the menu with fruit, vegetables, dairy and dry goods, helping the chefs bring their creative dishes to life.
Chris Oxer, Regional Sales Manager from Delifresh said:
“We’re passionate about supporting chefs with exceptional ingredients and helping them create memorable dining experiences. The Chefs’ Forum provides a brilliant platform for collaboration between suppliers, chefs and colleges, and we’re delighted to have contributed to such a successful event.”
The wines were generously sponsored by MDCV UK, with guests enjoying Château de Berne Rouge 2023 and Château de Berne Inspiration Rosé 2025 from Provence.
The event was also supported by Chef Works, MCS Technical Products, Gigi, Hugh Baird College, Frites Atelier, Pure Ionic Water, Kilty & Co, Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa and Hilton Liverpool City Centre.
A Fantastic Day for North West Hospitality
The Chefs’ Forum Lunch once again demonstrated the extraordinary value of bringing together chefs, suppliers, educators, students and hospitality employers around the same table.
The combination of exceptional food, professional networking and meaningful educational engagement created a memorable celebration of the North West’s thriving hospitality sector.
Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum, said:
“What a fantastic celebration of culinary talent here in Liverpool! We were absolutely delighted to bring together four brilliant chefs, our wonderful sponsors and the next generation of hospitality professionals for such a spectacular lunch.
“The food was outstanding, but what really makes these events special is seeing the students flourish. Watching young people work alongside experienced professionals, develop their skills and grow in confidence is exactly why we do what we do.
“A huge thank you Hilton’s Head of Food, Stuart Duff, General Manager, Phil Mcpeake and the entire Hilton Liverpool City Centre team, our talented guest chefs, the lecturers and students from L20 Hotel School, and every single sponsor who helped make this event possible. This is industry and education collaboration at its very best!”
The Chefs’ Forum continues to champion culinary excellence, strengthen relationships between hospitality employers and education providers, and create meaningful opportunities for the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals across the UK. Any chefs, hospitality professionals, colleges or suppliers who would like to get involved should contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com
Photography by Carlos Farinha @carlosclickuk
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