Callum Leslie was the big winner at the 2026 Eat Game Awards when he beat off stiff competition to be crowned Game Chef of the year.
The executive chef at the Michelin-starred The Black Swan at Oldstead, and The Abbey Inn, Byland, brought an end to Mark Kempson’s recent dominance in the category, which saw him pick up the award in both 2024 and 2025.
Leslie, 29, was also crowned the Yorkshire & North East regional winner on last year’s Great British Menu, and judges described him as “passionate about everything he does, from game harvesting, shooting, prep, and cooking.
“For this chef, it is about local produce, foraged food, and wild game. It is that simple. The creativity is around the simple ingredients, and you are literally eating the farms, hills, trees and wild food.”
Owner and head chef at the Caddy Mann Ross Horrocks was also celebrating after he won the public vote to be named 2026 Champion of Champions.
He was pipped to the post in the Best Pub / Restaurant category by newcomers to the awards, The Boat at Erbistock, but was celebrating in the end.
Horrocks is no stranger to the Eat Game awards as a regular finalist in both the best restaurant and best chef categories.
He beat off tough competition from Cai Ap Bryn, Hugo Campbell Hill and Mark Kempson, and the number of votes was testament to the work he is doing through his restaurant to introduce game meat to a growing audience of passionate diners.
A special mention also has to go to Maisebrooke Farm Shop, who were winners for the third year in a row. After previously being named small retailer of the year, they were crowned retailer of the year this time around.
The awards were once again held in the heart of London at Soane Hall, bringing together producers, suppliers, retailers and chefs who all share one passion – game meat and more importantly getting more people eating it.
Speaking after another successful event, Sandra Forkin, project integration manager and Eat Game Awards organiser, said: “It was wonderful to work with the team at One Dining Events for another night that no one will forget in a hurry.
“At an awards celebrating game meat, it is so important that it is the star of the show, and they created a menu which covered everything from squirrel to hare and everything in between.
“It was great to see so many new faces as well as our ‘regulars’ who continue year on year to help us educate, inspire and encourage more people to eat game, and I would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists on the work they do.
Winners in full
Rising Star (Sponsored by Eley Hawk)
Winner: Josh Zitha – City of Oxford College
Runner-up: Ashealles Cameron – One Dining
Runner-up: Jake Griffiths – Coleg Cambria
Best Retailer (Sponsored by The Game Fair)
Winner: Maisebrooke Farm Shop
Runner-up: Gamekeeper’s Larder
Runner-up: Wylde Market
Best Game Product (Sponsored by Lincolnshire Game)
Winner: Burnside Farm Foods
Runner-up: Cheshire Wild Venison
Runner-up: Deer Box
Best Game Educator / Influencer (Sponsored by GunsOnPegs)
Winner: Chris Marney – Game for Anything
Runner-up: Joe Mann – Queen’s College Taunton
Runner-up: Zdenka Wise – King’s Academy Easthampstead Park
Best Game Butcher
Winner: Della Kimmins – The Farm Butchery
Runner-up: Dartmoor Deer Services
Runner-up: Kingdom Game Ltd.
Best Restaurant / Pub
Winner: The Boat at Erbistock
Runner-up: The Abinger Hatch
Runner-up: The Caddy Mann
Best Game Chef
Winner: Callum Leslie – The Black Swan at Oldstead
Runner-up: Rob Arnott – One Dining
Runner-up: Mark Kempson – Kitchen W8
Champion of Champion 2025 (Sponsored by BASC)
Ross Horrocks
