Scott John-Hodgson, Executive Chef at Newcastle’s Michelin-starred Solstice and House of Tides, has been named runner-up in the prestigious National Chef of the Year 2026 competition.
The top three places were announced on Tuesday 6 October at a VIP awards ceremony, following a tense live cook-off at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Scott oversees culinary operations for both restaurants alongside chef-owner Kenny Atkinson.
Organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs since 1972, NCOTY is widely regarded as the UK’s most career-defining culinary competition. Past winners include Gordon Ramsay, Alyn Williams and Mark Sargeant, and reaching the later stages brings significant industry and consumer recognition.
This year’s brief was set by new chair of judges Mark Birchall around the theme ‘Our Sustainable Future’. Online entries opened in February and were judged blind on innovation, sustainability and seasonality. Forty chefs were selected for live semi-finals at Sheffield College on 24 June and Capital City College on 1 July. Scott was one of just ten chefs invited to the final, after attending the finalists’ Mentor Experience on 8 September.
In the final, chefs cooked side by side to a three-course brief:
- Starter: Isle of Mull scallops with seasonal autumn ingredients, including foraged and farmed mushrooms, vegetables and herbs
- Main: two cuts of Angus Pure Beef with veal sweetbreads, Kuri squash as the main garnish and a complementary potato dish
- Dessert: a chocolate mille-feuille with seasonal fruit
The judging panel, led by Mark Birchall, included Phil Howard, Matt Abé, Aktar Islam, Rafa Cagali, Tony Parkin, Adam Smith, Paul Foster and Gary Jones, alongside former NCOTY winners Luke Selby, Orry Shand and Hayden Groves. Pastry was judged by Cherish Finden, Emmanuel Bonneau of Mandarin Oriental, Circle Wong of L’Ecole Valrhona and Jean Francois Favy of Le Cordon Bleu London.
The 2026 title went to Ruth Hansom.
Mark Birchall, NCOTY chair of judges and chef patron of Moor Hall, said:
‘’This was an exceptional final and the standard across the kitchen was incredibly high. Ruth stood out with a menu that showed confidence and skill. Every dish delivered on flavour and the execution was consistently strong from start to finish.’’
David Mulcahy, competition director of National Chef of the Year and vice-president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, added:
‘’National Chef of the Year is one of the biggest achievements in a chef’s career, and today’s final showed exactly why this competition holds such an important place in our industry. The talent and professionalism we saw from all ten finalists was outstanding.’’
Speaking after the announcement, Scott said:
“Continuous improvement is what drives me. Whether it’s making a dish 1% better, developing someone in the team or giving guests a meal they’ll remember years later, there’s always another level to aim for. There aren’t many jobs where you can spend all day obsessing over tiny details, then watch it all come together over a few hours every evening. It’s stressful, but that’s part of what makes it addictive.”
Developing and retaining young talent has been one of Scott’s biggest challenges as a chef and leader, and one of his most rewarding.
“Seeing young chefs grow in skill and confidence, and knowing I’ve played a part in their journey, is one of the best parts of the job,” he said.
“A great kitchen isn’t just built on great food; it’s built on great people.”
Scott has long regarded NCOTY as “a proper test of your ability”.
He added:
“Getting this far reflects years of hard work, sacrifice and support from those around me. It also shines a light on Solstice, my team and the North East dining scene. There’s amazing talent in this region, and I want people to see that some of the UK’s most exciting food is being cooked here.
“Well done to Ruth Hansom, who has so ably represented Yorkshire and the North East of England. It’s been amazing to work alongside her over the last few months, and I wish her the very best for what comes next. For my part, we’ll see what next year holds from an NCOTY point of view.”
