St Albans chef cooks at Chelsea Flower Show

A chef from St Albans was given the opportunity to cook alongside famous French chef Raymond Blanc at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Neil Yule, 45, worked alongside 200 colleagues at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show from Tuesday, May 23 to Saturday, May 27, cooking at the Queen Elizabeth suite and Jardin Blanc Hospitality Village.

The hospitality space was opened by Raymond Blanc and Sodexo Sports and Leisure in partnership with the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016, and entertains VIP guests.

Neil cooked under the guidance of Raymond Blanc and Sodexo chefs Malcolm Emery, Stephen Frost and Trevor Garden. He said: “It was a real honour to get the opportunity to work with Raymond Blanc and his experienced team at one of the most prestigious flower shows.

“I have previously worked with some high profile chefs at amazing venues, but it was definitely up there as the highlight of my career.”

Neil, who was born in St Albans, works as executive chef at North Mymms Park. He started his career as an apprentice at a restaurant while studying full-time at a college in Watford. He joined management services company Sodexo in November 1997, working at Breakspear Park in Hemel Hempstead.

Twice in the last three years, Neil has reached the semi-final stage of the National Chef of the Year competition.

Julie Bromage, head of events at Sodexo Sports and Leisure, said: “We had an amazing team working at the Chelsea Flower Show this year, with each one working relentlessly to make sure the show was a success.

“The chefs that were involved have experience working at major events right across the country, but the show was a great opportunity for them to work alongside such a world-renowned chef as Raymond Blanc.”