Meet the National Restaurant Awards Rising Stars class of 2026

Sponsored by Square, Le Cordon Bleu, and Booker, The NRA Rising Stars Class of 2026 comprises 25 chefs, sommeliers and front of house personnel from restaurants across the UK.

Winners of the awards were recognised at a special lunch held at event partner Le Cordon Bleu’s Cord Restaurant in London.

Three individual category awards were also handed out on the day. The overall winner in the Rising Star front of house category, sponsored by Square, was Becca Lewis, restaurant manager at Bristol-based Korean restaurant Dongnae; the Rising Star award in the chef category, sponsored by Le Cordon Bleu, went to Jamie Keeble, head chef at Joshua and Victoria Overington’s Hovingham restaurant Myse; and Maria Boumpa, restaurant manager and wine director at London’s Da Terra, was recognised in the sommelier category, sponsored by Booker, for her outstanding wine knowledge.

Now in their second year, the National Restaurant Awards Rising Stars awards recognise people destined for great, or even greater things in the hospitality sector. Chefs and restaurateurs were asked to nominate members of their team who they thought deserved special recognition, with a panel of experts creating a final shortlist of entries.