Dudley Nando's worker is crowned UK's best griller and will compete to be international champ
A Dudley Nando's worker has been crowned the chain's best griller in the UK and Ireland, and will now compete in Malaysia for a chance to become Nando's international champion.
Nando’s Grillers’ Challenge is an international competition that takes place every year, which celebrates the skill and passion behind their famous flame-grilled chicken.
Each country with a Nando's whittles down their very best grillers and one from each country goes head-to-head to battle it out in an international final, this year taking place in Kuala Lumpur.
The hotly contested final of the UK and Ireland leg took place on Tuesday night in Nando's Birmingham New Street branch, where Debbie Bateman from the chain's Dudley restaurant took the crown.
Christopher Malone from the Bradford Centenary Square branch and Glen Elezi from the Dublin Swords restaurant were runners-up and will join Debbie in Nando’s International Grillers’ Challenge in Malaysia later this year.
Debbie said: “I cannot believe I won! To say the competition was tough would be an understatement, congratulates to the runners-up Christopher and Glen.
"The Grillers’ Challenge has been an incredible experience and I have met so many amazing people during the competition.
"I joined Nando’s six years ago and never dreamt that I would be representing my country on a global stage, whilst cooking delicious chicken.
"That’s just one of the amazing things about Nando’s, a job here can give you so many opportunities, some that you never expected."
Garry Duncan, operations director of Nando’s UK and Ireland, said: “Huge congratulations to Debbie. Winning the competition is a big achievement and is thoroughly deserved.
"Debbie demonstrated heaps of passion, remarkable skill, and unwavering nerve as she grilled her way through each round.
"I am proud that she is now going to represent UK and Ireland in the International Grillers’ Challenge in Malaysia later this year.
“The Grillers’ Challenge is so much more than a competition. It celebrates what make’s Nando’s unique and puts our famous peri-peri chicken in the spotlight whilst honouring our Southern African roots.
"This competition also gives us an opportunity to celebrate the amazing talent within our teams on a global stage, whilst igniting ambition and broadening horizons.”
After 470 restaurant heats, 30 quarter-final heats, six semi-finals, and one competitive final to find the UK and Ireland's best griller, Debbie, Christopher, and Glen will represent the UK in the international final in Kuala Lumpur.
