2023 KP of the year winner

Our 2023 Prize Package

Award for winner

For the winner

A great trophy, plus £1,000 worth of vouchers, plus a celebratory dinner for family and friends.

Award for winner's workplace

For the winner's workplace

A brand new Winterhalter, worth up to £10,000.

Award for runners up

For the runners up

Two runners up receive £250 worth of vouchers.

How important is the KP?

Hear what Michael Caines, Paul Ainsworth, Emily Watkins, Michel Roux Jr, Brian Turner among others have to say about a day working WITHOUT one.

Michel Roux Jr

"Kitchen porters are worth their weight in gold. This idea of having a Kitchen Porter of the Year is absolutely fantastic."

Marcus Wareing

"We all know that the KP is probably one of the most important people in the kitchen and sometimes they get overlooked. It’s great that they’re getting recognised with the KP of the Year award."

Emily Watkins

"The kitchen porter is the key person, not only of the kitchen but also the whole business."

John Williams MBE

"You want somebody who’s a great supporter of the cooks. KPs are a very powerful part of your team."

Brian Turner CBE

"Kitchen porters, especially in small restaurants and hotels, have to be able to multitask. You want someone who can trim the beans as well."

Adam Simmonds

"A day without a kitchen porter doesn’t bear thinking about. For us as a business it’s vitally important that we look after them."

Luke Thomas

"Kitchen porters are very much the forgotten heroes of many kitchens, it's amazing to see the industry recognise what a huge part they play in the making of a good restaurant and efficient kitchen with this award."

Will Holland

"The kitchen porter is one of the most important people in the building."

Michael Caines MBE

"The KP has been and always will be a key part of the kitchen. They are unsung heroes, working hard and in difficult conditions to keep the flow of the kitchen going. We’re very, very pleased that we’ve got a Kitchen Porter of the Year competition. It’s a wonderful initiative."

Paul Ainsworth

"I started out as a KP. It’s such a hard job! We can’t function without them. To be able to celebrate kitchen porters is great – the KP of the Year is a brilliant idea."

This year there are fantastic prizes, not just for the winning KP but also for her or his establishment.


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Who should you enter?

Chefs and managers from every part of the catering industry can enter their KPs for the award.
So whatever type of kitchen you work in, profit or cost sector, if your KP goes that extra mile, then enter them for the KP of the Year.

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Winner of the KP of the Year for 2022

“An exceptional candidate” is the judges’ unanimous choice"

The winner of the 2022 Kitchen Porter of the Year competition has been announced. He is Michael Toader of the Victory Services Club in London. It was easy to pick Michael as the winner,” says Stephen Kinkead. “He is the epitome of the ideal kitchen porter.

2022 winner
2019 winner

Winner of the KP of the Year for 2019

"Brilliant all-rounder" is Winterhalter's KP of the Year 2019

Davie Fleetham has been a kitchen porter for BaxterStorey at RBS in Edinburgh for 17 years – and now he’s the 2019 KP of the Year. The award was presented to Davie by Stephen Kinkead, managing director of the company behind the awards, Winterhalter UK, at a special ceremony at RBS on November 6th.

Winner of the KP of the Year for 2018

Aleks Riitmaa, known affectionately as Father Riitmaas, has beaten off strong opposition to claim the KP of the Year crown for 2018.

The award is the brainchild of warewashing specialist Winterhalter and is judged by a panel of top names from the foodservice industry. Aleks has been a kitchen porter at the Crathorne Hall Hotel in North Yorkshire for over eleven years and was nominated by Alan Robinson, the hotel’s executive head chef. “Father Riitmaas is thoughtful, generous, does the most thorough job and makes the whole team smile,” says Alan. “He cleans and scrubs areas that other KPs didn’t even know existed! He gets involved in the upkeep of everything, from the deep fat fryer to the compost bins and our bees.

2018 winner
2017 winner

Winner of the KP of the Year for 2017

Incomparable work ethic and highest standards mark out kitchen porter king

José was nominated by Mark Surguy, The Stafford’s hotel manager. Judges were impressed by the KP’s initiative – for example, he suggested a new storage solution that reduced breakages significantly. “He has a work ethic that cannot be compared,” said Mark. “He’s always smiling, he holds himself and every member of his team to the highest standards. Nothing is ever too much for him.”

Winner of the KP of the Year for 2016

‘Ninja in the kitchen’ is KP of the Year: Mick’s the pick in toughest year ever

The KP of the Year for 2016 is Mick Dunn of Rubens at the Palace, London SW1. “Mick won in the face of some incredibly tough competition – the toughest year ever – which shows he’s absolutely a top man in his field,” says Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter, the company behind the KP of the Year awards. The competition was so tight that the judges couldn’t decide on two runners up – so they selected three instead. They are Kevin Axtell of Windsor Castle Guard Rooms, Windsor; Daniel Gligorov of The White Hart at Fyfield, Oxfordshire; and Wendy Scott of Beachley Barracks, Chepstow.

2016 winner
2015 winner Peter Barnetson

Winner of the KP of the Year for 2015

What does it take to be a winner?

Peter Barnetson of Skibo Castle was Kitchen Porter of the Year 2015. Peter was nominated by Craig Rowland, executive chef at Skibo, who said, "Peter’s work ethic is second to none. His enthusiasm motivates the team, and his fastidious standards rub off on them! He’s a famous leg-puller and his jokes keep the atmosphere light during a busy, stressful day"