The Roux Scholarship adds the £6,000 Mentorship Award to its long list of prizes

With the deadline for The Roux Scholarship 2020 fast approaching, the Roux Family is delighted to announce an additional £6,000 in prize money, doubling the total available to £12,000.

The extra cash will be awarded to the winner on completion of 15 month’s service with their employer following their win. The aim is to encourage the scholar to share with their brigade the new experiences, ideas and skills learned during their three-month stage in a three-Michelin star restaurant. Should they wish to leave their job before 15 months, the £6,000 will be awarded to their employer to support the brigade’s development in other ways.

Chairman Alain Roux said: “When the winner returns to their kitchen after their stage in one of the world’s best restaurants, their experience is of enormous benefit to the whole brigade. This notion inspired our fathers to start the Scholarship 36 years ago. Our aim with this new bonus prize is to incentivise scholars to share these fantastic skills over the subsequent 15 months to inspire and strengthen their team. But should the scholar wish to move on sooner, then the fund will go to their employer instead, to support the brigade’s development.”

Fellow chairman Michel Roux Jr said: “The Roux Scholarship’s star prize – a stage in a three-star Michelin kitchen abroad – is a life-changing experience for our winners. It really opens doors for them. Should they wish to take up new opportunities soon after returning, then this cash award will help the development of the employer’s brigade regardless.”

In addition to the cash prize and three-month stage in any three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world, the winner of The Roux Scholarship 2020 will scoop a long list of prizes from our sponsors and supporters, as follows:

A Sustainable Meat and Cheese Box, courtesy of Aubrey Allen, as well as a Butchery Masterclass at their butchery training school, Aubrey’s Academy.
Two personalised, Roux Scholarship, chef’s jackets, courtesy of Bragard UK Ltd to wear at the competition and awards, plus an additional Grand Chef jacket.
A trip to Paris, courtesy of Bridor, to attend a workshop at the prestigious baking academy the École Lenôtre, which is set on a barge on the River Seine. The winning chef will attend an exclusive day-long course with their MOF Chef (Meilleur Ouvrier de France), and includes breakfast and lunch. The trip also includes dinner, overnight accommodation and transport from the UK.
A year’s subscription to print and digital editions of The Caterer for one year, plus two tickets to The Caterer’s annual awards, the Cateys. Known as the hospitality industry’s Oscars, the exclusive, black tie event takes place at Grosvenor House on 7 July 2020.
A classic collection of Global Knives and a range of accessories; peeler, fishbone tweezers, tongs, scissors and whetstone sharpener, all contained in a chef’s case.
Courtesy of Hildon Natural Mineral Water: 36 cases of free Hildon water, delivered as three cases per month (delivery to mainland UK only). PLUS: two Hospitality tickets to the Hildon Archie David Cup in June, starting with a private lunch in the Guards Club house, a five- star view of the polo action from your private seat in the Royal Enclosure, followed by afternoon tea in the Royal Box.
Complimentary membership of the Institute of Hospitality for one year.
An exclusive Magnum of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut, signed by the judges at the final cook-off.
An all expenses paid trip for two to visit the wine cellars of Laurent-Perrier at Tours-sur-Marne, including a guided tour of the cellars and a tasting of the Laurent-Perrier range. Travel by Eurostar and overnight accommodation with dinner, bed and breakfast.
A day trip with Mash Purveyors’ forager to learn the basics of foraging and how to harvest and cook the foods found in the wild.
A coffee machine for the home, plus a trip for two to visit the award winning Caffé Musetti roasting factory with flights, transfers and a night’s accommodation in Milan, courtesy of L’Unico.
An escorted tour with Regent Seven Seas Cruises aboard one of their most luxurious ships while in port in Southampton, to see how they deliver an unrivalled, exquisite dining experience to over 700 guests – while at sea.
A four-night trip to New York, courtesy of Restaurant Associates, with a senior member of the Restaurant Associates team, to explore restaurants and the food scene, including flights, accommodation and all meals.
A day at TRUEfoods followed by a gourmet trip to Portland and Seattle USA, with two senior members of TRUEfoods to explore the cities’ most exciting and enticing restaurants, markets and food stores, including flights, accommodation and all meals.
A day of Game shooting with one night’s accommodation including dinner, bed & breakfast, courtesy of Udale Speciality Foods Ltd.
A signed, framed commemorative certificate, signed by the judges.

The Winner’s Establishment will receive:

Ten kilos of award-winning coffee from L’Unico (Caffé Musetti)
A sirloin of aged beef from Udale Speciality Foods, Himalayan Salt Chamber.

The prizes for the Natoinal and Regional Finalists can be found on the website: http://www.rouxscholarship.co.uk/prizes/

Competition details:

Applicants must submit a recipe via the Roux Scholarship website, before 31^st January 2020, that includes:

One whole fresh MSC labelled hake, gutted, weighing anywhere between 1.6kg – 1.8kg (maximum 2kg) and 600g live whole grooved carpet shell / palourde clams (ruditapes decussatus); together plated with two ‘simple’ or ‘composed’ garnishes/accompaniments. One of them must include leeks and the other to be a garnish/accompaniment of their choice. One of these can be served separately if preferred. A sauce must accompany the dish. Up to 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. Entrants must be in full-time employment as a chef in the United Kingdom and be aged 22 or above, but no older than 30 years of age on 1st February 2020. Further instructions and the rules of the competition, including maximum costings for recipe ingredients, can be found on the website www.rouxscholarship.co.uk

Competition dates

Closing date for applications – Midnight, 31^st January 2020
Regional Finals at University College Birmingham and University of West London – 19^th March 2020
National Final at Westminster Kingsway College, and Awards Ceremony at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park – 6^th April 2020.

Judges: Three-star Michelin chef Björn Frantzén will judge the final as Honorary President of Judges, and some of the country’s best chefs are returning as judges for the regional and national finals: joining chairmen Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr are Clare Smyth, Sat Bains, James Martin, Simon Hulstone, André Garrett, Rachel Humphrey, Brian Turner and Angela Hartnett.