Five Chef of the Year wins across The Ingham Swan & The Wildebeest

We are incredibly proud to be celebrating a fifth Chef of the Year title across The Ingham Swan and The Wildebeest, following Head Chef Jordan Caswell’s success at the 2026 Norfolk & Suffolk Magazine Food & Drink Awards.

Jordan’s win continues a very special history for us in this category and marks another milestone for our teams across both restaurants.

Over the past 12 years, five chefs connected with The Ingham Swan and The Wildebeest have been named Chef of the Year:

Jordan Caswell – Chef of the Year 2026, The Ingham Swan
Fabio Miani – Chef of the Year 2019, The Wildebeest
Charlie Wilson – Chef of the Year 2018, The Wildebeest
Alex Clare – Chef of the Year 2017, The Ingham Swan
Daniel Smith – Chef of the Year 2014, The Ingham Swan

For us, Jordan’s latest award is about much more than one title. It reflects a long-standing commitment to developing, inspiring and supporting chefs as they progress through the ranks.

Over the years, we have been fortunate to see talented chefs come through our kitchens, build their confidence, develop their own style and go on to achieve great things in their own right.

Fabio Miani went on to open his own restaurant, Blossom, in Norwich city centre.

Charlie Wilson is now Head Chef at Aulis Phuket in Thailand, part of Simon Rogan’s restaurant group.

Alex Clare has remained in Norfolk and gone on to establish his own businesses locally, including Norfolk’s Edge and Noko.

And at the beginning of that roll call is our owner and Chef Patron Daniel Smith, who won Chef of the Year himself in 2014 and has continued ever since to build, inspire and support the chefs coming through both The Ingham Swan and The Wildebeest.

Daniel said:

“Jordan’s win is something we are incredibly proud of. He has worked extremely hard, developed enormously as a chef and has become a very important part of what we are doing at The Ingham Swan.

“When you look back and realise that five chefs from across The Ingham Swan and The Wildebeest have now won this award, it is quite a special achievement.

“For me, one of the most rewarding parts of running these restaurants has always been seeing talented chefs come through the kitchens, develop their own style and confidence and then go on to achieve things in their own right.

“Some stay with us and continue to develop within the business, while others go on to open restaurants or take opportunities elsewhere in the world. Being able to play a part in that journey is something I take a great deal of pride in.”

Jordan’s award also comes at an exciting time for The Ingham Swan. With 3 AA Rosettes and Michelin Recommended status, we continue to place seasonal Norfolk produce and our relationships with local suppliers at the heart of what we do.

Jordan said:

“To join the list of chefs who have previously won this award while working at The Ingham Swan and The Wildebeest means a huge amount.

“Daniel has always been very supportive of the chefs working within the business and gives you the opportunity to develop, push yourself and take on more responsibility. I’m incredibly proud to have won the award and proud to be part of the team at The Ingham Swan.”

Five Chef of the Year titles across more than a decade is something we are hugely proud of.

But more than anything, it reflects what matters most to us: investing in people, developing talent from within and giving chefs the opportunity to grow, progress and build their careers.

As Daniel puts it:

“Restaurants are ultimately about people. Awards are fantastic, but seeing people develop and go on to create successful careers is every bit as important. Jordan’s win feels like another chapter in that story.”