Our Judges

Ken Hom CBE

Celebrity chef Ken Hom, widely regarded as one the world’s greatest authorities on oriental cooking, has been awarded with an honorary CBE for ‘services to charity, culinary arts and education’. The CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) recognizes his achievements and the impressive social and historical impact he has made on the way the UK has embraced Chinese cuisine, and by becoming the country’s most recognizable and popular ambassador for Asian culture.

Simon Rimmer

Simon Rimmer is the chef and co-presenter of Sunday Brunch, the Sunday morning show waking up the nation with a mix of chat, current affairs, guests and food. Simon has a wealth of TV experience, and has appeared across many channels including BBC, ITV, C4, C5 and UKTV.

Jeremy Pang

School of Wok founder, author and TV chef Jeremy Pang comes from a long line of chefs and culinary enthusiasts. Despite the first few years of life where eating was a task rather than a pleasure, Jeremy soon developed his zest and curiosity for food, following his family’s move from the UK to Singapore at age ten.

Fuchsia Dunlop

Fuchsia Dunlop is an award-winning writer and cook specialising in Chinese cuisine. She trained as a chef at the Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine in Chengdu and has spent two decades researching and writing about Chinese food.

Karen Barnes

Karen’s career in journalism spans 30 years, working in book publishing, then women’s magazines and heading up the Good Housekeeping Institute before taking the helm at delicious. in April 2010. The delicious. brand – both online and in print – has an empowering, life-changing message at its heart: that anyone and everyone can learn to cook, hone their skills and enjoy the creative process of making fantastic food.

Sonny Leong CBE

Sonny Leong is currently Chief Executive of the Civil Service College and Executive Chairman of the Academy for Parliamentary & Policy Studies, and Trustee Director of Future First, a social enterprise company, whose vision is that every state secondary school and college should be supported by a thriving, engaged alumni community that helps each one to do more for its students.

Katy Tse Blair MBE

Cofounder of the London Islington Chinese Association, Lady Katy Tse Blair MBE started a pensioners’ Luncheon Club and Meals-on-Wheels home delivery service for the housebound in 2002, the combined services were the only ones of its kind available in the country at that time! Katy is responsible for overseeing the high quality of food preparation, safety and hygiene are complied with the Food Hygiene Standards.

Eric Yu

Hong Kong born Eric Yu commenced his professional life by working and qualifying with KPMG Peat Marwick as a Chartered Accountant in London. After working his way to Manager at KPMG he left to join The Pheasantry Group as Financial Controller. He left in 1991 to set up his first venture and what was eventually to become The Breakfast Group.

Ping Coombes

Ping Coombes won MasterChef 2014, stunning the judges with food inspired by her Malaysian heritage. Born and raised in the town of Ipoh in Malaysia, which is famous for its pomelo fruit, chicken noodles and Ipoh white coffee, Ping grew up with amazing food around her and was inspired by her mother’s cookery. She began to inherit traditional skills, starting with the basics - how to hold the ‘wok chan’ (the ladle).

Tom Parker Bowles

Tom Parker Bowles is an award winning restaurant critic, food writer and broadcaster. He is Food Editor of Esquire, and Restaurant Critic for the Mail on Sunday. He is also the author of 7 books, and a regular guest critic on Masterchef.