Best pastry chef

Mark Perkins, Rosewood, London WC1

With a painter for a father and a mother into the crafts, it was probably inevitable that pastry chef Mark Perkins would one day combine his skills with the art world. His award-winning contemporary afternoon teas served in the elegant Mirror Room at London’s stylish Rosewood hotel are currently being inspired by the work of acclaimed British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, most famous for his Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead. Three months in the planning, chef’s latest art-inspired menus are a collaboration with the Royal Academy and the Tate. As well as exquisite scones topped with Cornish clotted cream, homemade jams and lemon curd, there are creative sandwiches such as coronation chicken on turmeric bread with a Sri Lankan twist to reflect Gormley’s Buddhist learnings. The Gormley-inspired afternoon tea menu features Mark’s own colourful drawings based on what he’s made and he also works closely with a photographer to see how best the food is presented. His intricate and playful pastries include Body and Fruit (ceylon tea chocolate mousse, mandarin jelly, praline crémeux, hazelnut financier and a chocolate coating) and the Full Bowl (chocolate sponge, cherry compote, whipped white chocolate and vanilla cream, sprayed chocolate), all presented on specially designed stands with equal attention to detail. rosewoodhotels.com/en/london

Head judge Laura Rowe says: In another new standalone category, it was Mark’s playful tribute to some of the world’s greatest artists (previous menus have been inspired by Banksy, Rodin and Van Gogh) that impressed us most: cooking and culture colliding in a beautiful afternoon tea experience that London can be proud of. »