



Competition Details

2025 Competition - How To Enter
Theme: 'Traditional Chelsea Buns with a Modern Twist'
It is believed that the first Chelsea Bun was created 325 years ago in 1700. For the 7th annual Chelsea Bun bake-off, competitors are asked to create 'traditional Chelsea Buns with a modern twist'. There will be an Instagram Competition
PLUS a Live Tasting Competition in Chelsea.
The international nature of the World Chelsea Bun Awards will be in evidence with this year's results being announced during the annual Hankyu Department Store 'British Fair', which takes place in Umeda, Osaka, Japan in October.
Instagram Competition:
Make some Chelsea Buns, photograph them and post the photo on Instagram using the hashtag #worldchelseabunawards, tag the photograph and the text @world.chelsea.bun.awards and say which category you are entering - Amateur or Professional Bakers.
OR, email us your photograph (using the link below), especially if your Instagram account is private.
Entry Deadline: 10 am on Friday 26th September 2025.
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Prizes:
Enter your Chelsea Buns into one of two categories: ​
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Live Tasting Competition:
Bring your Chelsea Buns to Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, London, SW1X 9BZ
or post them to Partridges of Kensington, 17-19 Gloucester Road, London, SW7 4PL.
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Entry Deadline: Buns to arrive at Holy Trinity Church between 10am - 12pm on Saturday 27th September or if posted to arrive at Partridges by 10am.
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Prizes:
Enter your Chelsea Buns into one of three categories:
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Children (under 18) - ​​Prize: Bespoke Partridges Hamper filled with delicious treats;
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Adults – Prize: Bespoke Partridges Hamper including Partridges Chelsea Bun Gin or a non-alcoholic alternative;
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Professional Bakers – Prize: Bespoke Partridges Sharing Hamper including Partridges Champagne and Chelsea Bun Gin or non-alcoholic alternatives.
Winners will also receive a World Chelsea Bun Awards Winners’ Apron, donated by Initially London
and THE OVERALL 'LIVE TASTING' WINNER will also receive £250 and be named
‘Best Chelsea Bun Baker 2025’.
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Charitable Donation
We invite all entrants to make a donation to one of the Award's two chosen charities
The Children's Surgery Foundation
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CHELSEA BUN ILLUSTRATION BY LOCAL ARTIST, JULIA PAGE
Welcome to the World Chelsea Bun Awards
Bake-Off Competition ​Hosted by Partridges in Celebration of World Chelsea Bun Day
In September 2025 Royal Warrant Holder, Partridges, is hosting the seventh annual World Chelsea Bun Awards to celebrate World Chelsea Bun Day.
The Judges
Lady Frederick Windsor, who is also known as the actress Sophie Winkleman, and actress and cake expert Jane Asher, who are both Patrons of The Children’s Surgery Foundation, will judge this year’s World Chelsea Bun Awards with John Shepherd, owner and Managing Director of Partridges Fine Foods, Munther Haddad, the Chairman of The Children’s Surgery Foundation and a Senior Consultant Paediatric and Neonatal Surgeon and Toto Dell'Aringa, Chief Trainer at The Felix Project. We will be announcing some more judges soon too...
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The Judging
On Saturday 27th September the judges will taste and judge the Chelsea Buns at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, Chelsea.
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The Results
The winners will be announced at the Hankyu Department Store historic 'British Fair' in Umeda, Osaka in mid- October. All the results will also be announced on Instagram and here, on the website in October 2025.
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Charitable Donation
The competitions are free to enter but entrants are requested to make a donation to one of the Award's chosen charities:
The Children's Surgery Foundation which is raising money to supply an intravenous vein finder to each of the 26 paediatric surgery wards in the UK;
The Felix Project which is London’s largest food redistribution charity and is rescuing food to fight hunger.
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John Shepherd, Owner and Managing Directory of Partridges says... “The first Chelsea Bun was created around 1700 by Richard Hand close to Sloane Square, Chelsea. Richard, known as Captain Bun, ran The Old Chelsea Bun House which was famous for its Chelsea Buns and counted King George II, King George III and their families amongst its customers. We are delighted to hold the World Chelsea Bun Awards for the seventh year running and hope they will once again revive the baking of Chelsea Buns in the area, and around the world, as well as raise funds and awareness for The Children's Surgery Foundation (CSF) and The Felix Project. To date, the World Chelsea Bun Awards has raised £30,000 for the CSF's Beam Campaign.
As a judge of this year’s competition, I am very much looking forward to seeing the range and variety of 'Traditional Chelsea Buns with a Modern Twist' which are entered. We are hoping to receive entries from all over the country and all over the world and I expect that people will add popular local ingredients as well as ingredients which match their own dietary preferences and creative twists, resulting in a rich assortment of Chelsea Buns.”
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Jane Asher says... “I’m so pleased that our important charity is going to benefit once more from the exciting World Chelsea Bun Awards. I have the honour of being a judge for this very special competition, and I would urge anyone who enjoys baking to join in and have a go with their version of the famous, delicious treat. Not only will it be fun, but at the same time you will be helping to relieve the potential pain and distress experienced by children undergoing surgery. I do hope you will join us.”

History of The Chelsea Bun
Chelsea Buns are a type of currant bun traditionally made from a rich yeast dough flavoured with lemon peel, cinnamon or mixed spice. The first Chelsea Bun was created around 1700 by Richard Hand, proprietor of The Old Chelsea Bun House, who was apparently known as Captain Bun!
The Chelsea Bun House, which was demolished in 1839, is thought to have been located between Pimlico Green and Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea and was famous for its Chelsea Buns. It also did a roaring trade in hot cross buns at Easter and was patronised by customers including King George II, King George III and their families.
About Partridges
The independent family-run food store was founded in 1972 in Sloane Square and celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2022. In 1994 it was granted a Royal Warrant as Grocers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
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In 1998 a second Partridges shop opened on Gloucester Road, Kensington and in 2004 the original shop was relocated to Duke of York Square, Chelsea where it was an important part of the community until it closed in February 2025.
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In 2014 Partridges launched 'Startisans' to help ‘Start-Up Food & Drink’ artisans and operated the vibrant and successful Saturday Market each weekend near its flagship store on Duke of York Square, Chelsea until February 2025.
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In 2019 Partridges launched the World Chelsea Bun Awards to revive the baking of Chelsea Buns in the area and help raise funds and awareness for a local charity.
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In December 2024 Partridges was awarded a Royal Warrant as Grocers to His Majesty King Charles.
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