Maggi® Professional Crowns Two Winners in Culinary MAGGI®cians Competition
MAGGI® Professional is delighted to announce the winners of its nationwide search for two standout chefs to become the Culinary MAGGI®cians of 2026.
Following an inspiring competition celebrating the unsung heroes of flavour across the UK’s independent food scene, Hakeem Syed from Duda Diner and Lourisha McGowan from Caribbean Fix have taken the title after being visited by mystery diners in search of the best MAGGI® inspired dish across the nation.
The one-of-a-kind competition called on chefs to showcase how they make magic with MAGGI®, whether through bold flavour twists, inventive seasoning techniques or clever time-saving kitchen hacks. Entries from across the country demonstrated exceptional creativity, skill and passion, with shortlisted finalists visited by mystery diners who ordered and judged their featured MAGGI® dish.
The campaign was designed to celebrate chefs working behind the scenes to deliver bold flavours, inventive techniques, and time-saving kitchen solutions. The winning restaurants have won a professional PR package which includes a venue photo shoot - perfect for social media promotion, PR and marketing, and PR for their venue, plus £300 worth of MAGGI® products.
Paul Hawkins, Nestlé Professional Development Chef:
“MAGGI® has long been a trusted partner in Professional kitchens, allowing chefs to create a little magic in every dish. It’s inspiring to see so many creative ways chefs are using MAGGI® products to innovate and push culinary boundaries. This year’s winners truly showcased great balance of flavour, incredible taste, stunning presentation, and inventive twists on local classics, it’s so important we support and shine a spotlight on the incredible work independent chefs are doing, they’re the heart of our food culture.”
Lourisha McGowan, Caribbean Fix:
“Winning the culinary MAGGI®cians competition has been an incredible moment for me and has given me the confidence to showcase the flavours I grew up with. MAGGI® brings that rich savoury flavour that ties everything together and really makes the dish come alive.”
Hakeem Syed, Duda Diner:
“Being recognised in the competition means a huge amount to me. It’s been a fantastic platform to showcase my cooking and the flavours I love to work with. I always use MAGGI® in my kitchen so having the opportunity to work more closely with the brand was amazing”
