Paton & Ross very own Alan Paton has secured the runner-up position at the inaugural UK heats of the World Tapas Competition, held in Sheffield on July 16th and 17th, 2025. The chef's innovative dish, a Japanese curry black pudding, earned a place among the top two competitors out of a total of 12 chefs. This achievement qualifies the chef for an exclusive culinary tour of Madrid and Valladolid. The UK heats were hosted at the Blend Culinary Foundation Kitchen, located inside the Cambridge Street Collective.

The competition featured chefs from a variety of public and private sector organisations, including Hilton Hotels, Tottenham Hotspur, and the British Army. Renowned Spanish chef 

Omar Allibhoy,  "the Antonio Banderas of cooking", served as the head judge for the event.