Two weeks left to enter Fried Chicken Championships

There are just two weeks left for restaurant chefs and operators across the UK to enter the Fried Chicken Championships 2026, the hotly anticipated new competition from the organisers of the National Burger Awards.

With the nation’s love of fried chicken at an all-time high, this event is set to celebrate the very best in the business.

The Championships will bring together 16 chefs for a live showdown at Big Penny Social in London on Tuesday 20 January 2026.

To enter for free, operators need to fill out a form at friedchickenchampionships.co.uk.

How it works

The competition invites entries from any fried chicken operation, big or small, with recipes submitted online for initial judging. From these, 16 dishes will be selected to compete in the final cook-off. On the day, the chefs will face three exciting rounds:

• Technical Platter: A tray of classic fried chicken items and sides, featuring sponsor products.
• Loaded Fries Round: Sponsored by Lamb Weston, this challenge tests creativity and flair on this humble ingredient.
• Signature Dish Round: The ultimate test, where chefs present their best original fried chicken creation. The winner of this round will be crowned the 2026 Fried Chicken Champion.

A panel of expert judges, made up of leading figures from across the hospitality industry, will decide who takes home the title.

Submissions close on Friday 21 November 2025.

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