WALOR

The eight finalists - who included James Laffan of the award-winning Staith House on North Shields Fish Quay, Daniel Robertson of the Crown Plaza Hotel in Newcastle and Neil Jefferson and Walor Kacper of Ladhar Leisure - each had to base their menus on the same key ingredients: a lemon sole starter, pork main course and rhubarb dessert.

In the frame this year are Matei Baran, of the Jurys Inn, and Daniel Robertson, of the Crown Plaza Hotel, both Newcastle; Viv Gritton, of the British Armed Forces; Ray Hunter, of the Angel Inn, Corbridge; Neil Jefferson and Walor Kacper, both of Ladhar Leisure; James Laffan, of The Staith House, North Shields; and Michael Hall, of The Granby, Longframlington.