‘Honoured to win in this tough industry’: Northamptonshire’s 'Chef of the Year' winner revealed

After a summer of anticipation as the finalists were announced for the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, all 84 gathered at Royal & Derngate for the ceremony.

It was a successful evening for Bart Polinski from Hibiscus Fine Dining at Delapre Abbey, who bagged the gold spot in the Whitco Chef of the Year category.

The 28-year-old, who first started working in a professional kitchen alongside his studies at 16, says his main inspiration was his parents – who were “crazy about homemade meals and cooking from scratch” as he grew up.

The award-winning chef said: “I feel honoured to have won as this is a tough industry to be in – especially at a time when everything is going up in price.

“To be able to progress in an industry that has been somewhat abandoned over the past couple of years because of the pandemic is great.

“I see businesses fighting for survival, and it’s amazing that award ceremonies like this still happen and sponsors are still so willing to support everyone.”

Bart is originally from Poland and admits moving away from his roots as he has progressed throughout his career.

Growing up, he travelled to France and learned about both English and French cuisine – which he was able to put his own spin on.

When he returned to England from France to see his family, he planned to earn money for a while to travel to Australia. However, he met his other half Amanda, who is now his wife, and they have since had children together.

In England, he carried on with what he described as a “behind the scenes career producing simple but tasty food”, before an opportunity arose for him to get back into fine dining – which he was eager to do after getting a taste for it aged 16 to 18 when he worked alongside Michelin star chefs.

After a chef left at his current workplace, Hibiscus Fine Dining, Bart saw the potential and took on the orangery, weddings, events and Hibiscus itself as the chef.

He said: “Although it was, and still is, hard work, it’s worth it when you get good feedback. It makes your day.

“It’s all about the drive and the passion for serving good food and pleasing customers – that’s what matters the most.”

His early days working in the industry – working seven days a week, before and after college on weekdays – prepared Bart for the responsibility he now has at Hibiscus.

“I thought going to study food would be easy, but I soon learned that wasn’t the case,” he said.

“Things are different now and chefs are tired after a couple of shifts – which is nothing like what the seven day working weeks used to be like.”

Bart’s children are aged one and two-and-a-half, and he says he often returns home after 15-hour shifts to his son wide awake and wanting to spend time with him.

He says “it’s hard to juggle everything”, but hopes to absorb as much experience as he can to one day open his own business, which he will leave for his children.