SRC students triumph with second consecutive Generation Chef win

Southern Regional College (SRC) Professional Cookery and Hospitality students triumphed for a second year running at the Northern Ireland Generation Chef finals.

The winning SRC trio, chefs Eva Newell and Leon Ruddy along with front-of-house hospitality student Katie Gray.

placeholder image — The winning SRC trio, chefs Eva Newell and Leon Ruddy along with front-of-house hospitality student Katie Gray.

The grand final, held at SRC’s Newry East campus on Thursday, April 30, was scrutinised by a panel of six industry judges, comprising four chefs from industry giants Hastings Hotels, Regency House, TMR Windham Hotel Group and Henderson Foodservice. Front of house service was judged by representatives from Michelin-starred restaurant Ox Belfast and Regency House.

The competition saw students from all colleges present to the judging panel before heading to the kitchen and restaurant service areas to cook up a storm.

Chef judging panel sampling menus at the Generation Chef 2026 finale. They were Geoff Baird, Development chef for Henderson Foodservice; Damian Tumelity, Group Executive Chef for Hastings Hotels; Phillipe Farineau, Group Food and Beverage Manager for TMR Windham Hotels and Chris McClurg, Chef Patron for Regency House | Southern Regional College

Students making up the winning team, were chef students Leon Ruddy (18) from Bleary, Eva Newell (18) from Kilkeel and hospitality student Katie Gray (17) from Collone, Armagh. The final followed a series of six regional heats across Northern Ireland’s Further Education College’s, placing Northern Ireland’s most promising students at the forefront of the food industry’s elite.

Beyond the prestige of securing the ‘Rotary Ireland Generation Chef 2026’ title, students received a host of spectacular prizes, secured by Northern Ireland’s eleven Rotary Clubs. These include industry placements and mentorships with the Hastings Hotel and Windward Hotel Groups, as well as an exclusive four-day Culinary Tour of Ulster. During the tour, students will take part in masterclasses with leading executive chefs and suppliers, alongside behind-the-scenes visits to Northern Ireland’s award-winning food and drink producers.

This year’s Generation Chef final was the second year the competition has run. The competition is a collaboration between Northern Ireland’s 11 Rotary Clubs and 6 Regional Colleges. The initiative spans 10 hospitality campuses and is designed to demonstrate Northern Ireland’s flourishing culinary arts as a career path. The event was supported by key sponsors Henderson Foodservice, Hastings Hotels, and new for 2026, TMR Windward Hotel Group, along with Northern Ireland’s Rotary Club Network.

Michelle Moore, Curriculum Area Manager of Hospitality and Tourism at Southern Regional College commented: “I am immensely proud of Leon, Eva and Katie on winning this very prestigious competition. Their lecturers, Lynette, Keith and Seamus, worked hard to mentor and support them.

James Maginn MBE, Managing Director Hasting Hotels and event sponsor pictured alongside SRC staff members Michelle Moore, Curriculum Area Manager for Hospitality and Tourism and Matt Turner, Head of Faculty.
Pictured (L-R): Michelle Moore, James Maginn, Matt Turner — James Maginn MBE, Managing Director Hasting Hotels and event sponsor pictured alongside SRC staff members Michelle Moore, Curriculum Area Manager for Hospitality and Tourism and Matt Turner, Head of Faculty. Pictured (L-R): Michelle Moore, James Maginn, Matt Turner | Southern Regional College

Winning this competition for the second year in a row is extremely rewarding and is a true testament to our commitment to developing and nurturing talent within the Hospitality and Catering industry.

It was a huge honour for SRC to host the Northern Ireland Final and to welcome so many highly regarded figures from the Hospitality sector. I would like to thank the Rotarians for organising such a brilliant competition, and our students are very much looking forward to their upcoming Culinary Tour to broaden their culinary knowledge.”