A TOP dale chef has been nominated for one of the biggest honours in the culinary world.
James Close, chef and owner of the two Michelin star The Raby Hunt, at Summerhouse, has been selected as a candidate in the Best Chef Awards, which are being held in September in Barcelona.
Mr Close is in the running to be included in the Chef TOP100, which celebrates the most skillful chefs worldwide.
If successful, he will follow in the footsteps of some of the biggest names in fine dining, such as Joan Roca of Spain’s El Cellar De Can Roca, who has headed up the prestigious list the past two years.
Other world renowned chefs who have featured on the list include Rene Redzepi of Noma, in Copenhagen, which has also been previously named best restaurant on the planet.
Mr Close said: “It’s a huge honour to have been nominated and to be considered among chefs who are undisputedly the best in the world.
“Many of the people who have been included in previous years are my culinary heroes so to be in with the chance to be listed alongside them is absolutely fantastic.”
The nomination has come at a time when The Raby Hunt is celebrating its tenth anniversary, with a series of special events which includes a classic Sunday lunch on August 11.
