With only a few days until the start of The Great Fleet Street Quarter Cook Off 2025, we are delighted to announce the panel of four judges for the final. Their combined experience will bring a wealth of knowledge to the competition!
Lisa Jenkins, CEO, Royal Academy of Culinary Arts
Lisa leads the RACA, the UK’s leading professional membership association of head chefs, head pastry chefs, restaurant managers and associates.
Prior to taking this role, Lisa was managing editor of The Caterer magazine, responsible for multiple formats of the publication, as well as a multitude of high-profile industry events. Lisa has been part of the hospitality industry from a young age and recognises the dedication it takes to be part of the industry she loves.
Taz Khan MBE, Social Entrepreneur, London’s Community Kitchen
Founder and CEO of London’s Community Kitchen amongst other award-winning projects, Taz’s teams serve as sustainability leaders and community advocates, promoting sustainable development across the country.
During the pandemic, the London Community Kitchen supplied food equivalent to over 15 million meals, as of now the programme is feeding more than 20,000 people in London every week. Taz was nominated by Chef Tom Kerridge for the 2022 Observer Food Monthly Award for Outstanding Achievement. Taz is one of the lead partners in the Urban Farmer Project, a pioneering new initiative in the Fleet Street Quarter.
Lulu Grimes, Managing Editor, Good Food Magazine
Lulu brings extensive experience in magazine editorial (Olive Magazine, Food and Travel, and Sainsbury’s Magazine), working as a food editor for Murdoch books in Sydney where she researched and worked on a series of internationally published food and travel books.
She has also written for The Sydney Morning Herald, has taught a course on Food Writing at City University and then at Leith’s School of Food and Wine and has published several cookbooks.
Chef Marco Ardemagni, Cuisine Teaching Chef, Le Cordon Bleu
Chef Marco, from Tivoli, Italy, began his culinary journey at 14, studying hospitality in Fiuggi. He interned at Michelin-starred restaurants before becoming Commis Chef at The Caesar Restaurant in Rome, where he helped earn its first Michelin star.
Later, he became Senior Sous Chef at Sushisamba London and Executive Chef at The Langley hotel. Chef Marco also contributed to Yatay Soho and joined Le Cordon Bleu’s teaching team in 2022, pursuing his passion for training new chefs.
The Great Fleet Street Quarter Cook Off 2025 kicks off this Friday 14 March at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu with the first of our semi-final heats.
