19-year-old pastry chef is rising star in food industry

A 19-year-old pastry chef from Cumbria has been recognised for his rapid rise in the food industry after receiving a top regional award.
Lewis Jackson, who grew up in Penrith and is a former student at Kendal College, was presented with the Rising Star award at the 2025 Cumbria Food Awards.
Despite his young age, Lewis is already working at The Ritz in London and has also claimed the National Pastry Chef of the Year title.
The Rising Star award celebrates individuals at the beginning of their careers who have already demonstrated exceptional talent, made a strong impact in their field and shown significant potential for the future.
Guests at the awards ceremony heard how Lewis developed ambitions to become a pastry chef at an early age. While still at school, he completed an NVQ Level 2 qualification in hospitality before enrolling at Kendal College to study Level 2 pastry.
He achieved a distinction in just one year and went on to secure work experience at the world-renowned Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. This placement led to a full-time role as a commis pastry chef when he was just 17.
At Gleneagles, Lewis worked alongside a team of 25 pastry chefs, helping to produce afternoon teas, desserts and a wide range of pastries. During his time there, he was also named runner-up in the National Young Pastry Chef of the Year competition.
At the age of 18, Lewis moved to London to join The Ritz, having also received an offer from The Dorchester. He initially worked on the hotel’s famous afternoon tea service, producing cakes for around 400 guests each day.
He later progressed to preparing breakfast pastries and baking bread for the Michelin-starred restaurant, a role that often involved working overnight shifts. Lewis has since moved on to creating desserts for the restaurant, which has recently been awarded a second Michelin star.
In 2024, he was crowned National Pastry Chef of the Year. As part of his prize, he travelled to Milan to work alongside world pastry champion Massimo Pica.
Lewis’s former tutor at Kendal College, Yannick Lequitte, praised his former student’s commitment and drive.
“Lewis was a dedicated and hard-working young man,” he said. “An excellent team player, he was always striving for perfection and seeking new challenges, which he found by working in top-quality establishments.”
The winners of the Cumbria Food Awards were announced at a ceremony held at Kendal College last Thursday. The event was hosted by television presenter and chef Matt Tebbutt.