british culinary federation

Andreas Antona

Previously, Chairman and Vice-President of the Midlands Association of Chefs, Andreas Antona has an impressive CV that also includes a milestone in culinary history – his restaurant, Simpson's, was one of Birmingham’s first to get a Michelin star.

Andreas was actually born in Cuckfield, Sussex, into a family of Greek Cypriot restaurateurs but he was the first to receive formal catering training.

He worked in Switzerland and Germany before returning to the UK to work at the Dorchester under Anton Mosimann and at the Ritz under Michael Quinn.

Then the Midlands beckoned, with spells at the Elms at Abberley in Worcestershire and the Plough and Harrow in Birmingham before he set up Simpson's in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.  Now Chef Patron of the Michelin starred restaurant, Simpson's in Edgbaston, Birmingham, he is an active member of the Executive Council of the BCF.

 

Brian Cotterill

Brian Cotterill was made life president of the Chefs and Cooks Circle UK in 1981, having actively worked for the association since 1976. He was the driving force behind the formation of the British Culinary Federation in 2004, along with his fellow BCF Executive Council members. 

Brian has an international reputation and served three terms of office on the Board of the World Association of Chef's Societies, (WACS), most recently holding the position of WACS European Continental Director 2000-2004, responsible for thirty four European countries. In 1988 he was presented with the World Association's most prestigious award of Honorary Membership, for services to WACS and the hospitality industry. 

He is also an experienced judge, approved by the World Association of Chef's Societies. He has judged many national and international competitions, including the Culinary Olympics and the American Culinary Classic. Closer to home he has judged at Hotelympia and ScotHot and many regional competitions.

In 1980 Brian became one of the twenty five founder members of the Academy of Culinary Arts, one of very few British born chefs in the group. He has since collected many honours world-wide for his expertise, including those from Canada, South Africa and the USA.

Now retired, Brian has had a long distinguished career. He hit the headlines in the 1960s when he was promoted to head chef of the world-famous Caprice restaurant, the youngest and only British head chef of a top establishment at that time. He then moved to Lloyd’s of London, where his responsibilities included five kitchens and a brigade of 96 chefs and he regularly cooked for Royalty. He then moved to Marks and Spencer to develop their food range. He worked there for 18 years seeing the food sale raise to over 40% of the business. 

In 1986, Brian became the first British chef to be awarded the prestigious CATEY Chef award, for his outstanding talent and service to the industry, a top award in the UK, which had previously only been awarded to Michel Bourdin and Anton Mosimann.

He is still passionate about training young chefs to the highest possible standards and still seeks opportunities to send young chefs overseas to compete and train. A competitor himself, having won many international gold medals for the UK, including in the Culinary Olympics as captain and manager of British teams. He now devotes much of his spare time to encouraging young chefs and raising sponsorship for national culinary teams.

Peter Griffiths MBE 

Peter Griffiths, a founder member of the Midlands Association of Chefs, was Chairman for five years and President from 2002.

Now retired, he was executive chef at the Manor Hotel, Meriden until January 2008.  Since 1992, he has held the position of Salon Director at Le Salon Culinaire International de Londres, Hotelympia and  Hospitality, NEC Birmingham.  He is a judge at numerous respected competitions and salons culinaire within the industry, both in the UK and abroad.

Peter was appointed UK Skills Chef Mentor and judge at the World Youth Skill Olympics 1993 in Taiwan resulting in a second place silver medal for the UK entrant, Colin Sayers.

He accepted the same appointment to take a UK competitor to the World Youth Skill Olympics in Lyon, France in 1995, resulting in the gold medal for the UK entrant, Simon Hulstone.

In 1994, he was awarded the Craft Guild of Chefs Special Award for commitment to the industry and salons culinaire.

Peter was also presented with Honorary membership of Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises, Le Conseil Culinaire Francais de Grand Bretagne, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Culinary Federation.  Recently awarded the title "Disciple of Escoffier" by the Association Culinaire Francaise.

Peter is a Governor of University College Birmingham and was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to the hospitality industry.

Ken Fraser MBE

Ken Fraser’s began his 50 plus-year career in catering by training as a baker before joining the Navy as a junior cook and progressing to the rank of warrant officer. His 30 years in the forces included postings to South Africa and the USA.
After he left, Ken joined Westminster College in London, where he was senior lecturer until he retired.

He was awarded the MBE in 1978 for services to catering and in 1982, won three grand prix at Hotelympia. He also won the Craft Guild award for services to catering education in 1995.

Ken is a former captain and member of the British National Culinary Team and has competed seven times at the Culinary Olympics.

He also participated in the design and making of the officical wedding cake for Prince Charles’ marriage to Lady Diana.