Martin’s victory came after a tough final at the Savoy hotel in London yesterday, where he competed against Romain Bourger of the Vineyard at Stockcross, and Arnaud Bardary from Maze in London.

Bardary was placed second, while Bourger was third in the competition, organised by the Academy of Food and Wine Service (AFWS) and The Caterer and sponsored by Moët & Chandon Champagne.

It was Martin’s third time in the competition, having placed third last year. Commenting on his win, Martin said: “It is incredible. It is the third time I have been in the competition and I have worked hard for this. The standard was incredibly high so I am delighted to have won.”

All three finalists were submitted to a gruelling three-hour competition in front of an audience made up of judges, former winners, their peers from the industry, sponsors and journalists.