Have You Got What it Takes to be The 35th Roux Scholar?

Andrew Fairlie, Sat Bains, Andre Garrett, Simon Hulstone and Hrishikesh Desai – you only have to look at the past winners to see that the Roux Scholarship has produced some of the biggest names in restaurants over the past 35 years.

And now is the chance for chefs to throw their hats into the ring and enter this year’s competition to find the 35th Roux Scholar.

Since it launched in 1984 – the year a young Scottish chef called Andrew Fairlie won the title – the Roux Scholarship has become one of the most respected competitions in the hospitality industry.

This year, the winner receives £6,000 and the career-changing opportunity to work a three-month stage at a three star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world, with all expenses paid.

Entries for the 2018 Roux Scholarship have to be in by midnight on January 31 and chefs (who must be in full-time employment as a chef in the UK and be aged 22 or above, but no older than 30 years of age on February 1, 2018) need to submit a recipe for four people using two whole gilt-head sea bream and one variety of mollusc, served plated with two ‘simple’ or ‘composed’ garnishes/accompaniments. One must include green globe artichokes and the other needs to be a garnish/accompaniment of their choice.

Two and a half hours’ cooking time is allocated at the regional final for cooking the dish, as the recipe originally submitted and a dessert to serve four people made from a ‘mystery box’ of ingredients given on the day. Full details of the competition, entry process and rules can be found on the website.

The judges will select the best 18 recipes from those submitted. These chefs will then be invited to cook their dish and a ‘mystery box’ dessert challenge at regional finals to be held in Birmingham and London on March 8.

The final will be held in London on March 26 and the winner will be announced at a prestigious award ceremony at The Langham, London, that evening.

Joint chairmen of the judges Alain and Michel Roux Jr are joined this year by an impressive line-up of chefs to judge the competition. They include former Roux Scholars Sat Bains, Andrew Fairlie, André Garrett and Simon Hulstone, along with Angela Hartnett, Rachel Humphrey of Le Gavroche, James Martin, Clare Smyth and vice chairman Brian Turner. A premier international guest chef will join the panel to judge the final.

Alain Roux said: “The Roux family is privileged to welcome three highly talented, respected chefs as new judges starting with the 2018 competition, Rachel Humphrey, Angela Hartnett and Clare Smyth.

“They are showing true leadership in giving their time and effort to inspire young chefs cooking in the UK, in particular more female chefs whose participation we hope to encourage.”

Last year’s winner, Luke Selby, has had an amazing year since scooping the top prize in 2017. The former head chef of Dabbous, was the first scholar to complete his winners’ stage in Japan. He trained at three-Michelin-star restaurant Nihonryori Ryugin in Tokyo, with chef Seiji Yamamoto. To top off a great 12 months, Luke went on to win National Chef of the Year just days after his return from Japan.

Other recent success stories for past scholars have included Michelin stars for Mark Birchall and Adam Smith.

More details about how to enter for this year’s Roux Scholarship can be found at: www.rouxscholarship.co.uk