Bienvenue to Beaujolais Nouveau at West London College
The Chefs’ Forum headed over to West London College for a formidable evening of all things French.
The students prepared a wonderful selection of rillettes or paté as an appetiser with deliciously crunchy slices of toasted baguette, wash down with yes, you’ve guessed it, Beaujolais Nouveau.
But where did it get it’s name?
Beaujolais is a vin de primeur, fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November. Distributors famously race to get the first bottles to different markets around the globe, and it was great to celebrate this tradition at West London College last evening.
Beaujolais Day celebrates the first wine of the season from the Beaujolais region of France and is an annual event at West London College as part of a series of brilliant, themed evenings staged by the teaching team and students at the college.
Level 1 Front of House students were taught how to correctly open, hold and pour bottle after bottle of ruby red Beaujolais for the guests, while Level 2 culinary students created a stunning menu of French classics, served to 50 parents, staff, employers and stakeholders.
The college have recently been gifted 10 banqueting tables from award-winning luxury hotel Andaz London Liverpool Street.
Executive Chef, Hameed Farook kindly organised the generous gift that will enable the college to hold large functions and increase revenue for the college restaurant.
Chris Bend of Wedgwood also attended the dinner, having also donated a 600-piece bone china dinner service to the college, he said
“The food and service has been wonderful this evening. It is really important that Wedgwood as a brand supports the next generation of hospitality professionals, and it was excellent to dine with industry peers all at the college to show their support for the excellent work done by the staff and students – I can’t wait for the next one!”
Ruston Toms, Chairman of The PM Trust also attended and was very impressed by the enthusiasm of the students, he added,
“When I see you all here, I remember what it was like for me at your age. The Hospitality Industry is a fantastic industry and one that can really take 
you anywhere in life. I believe everyone should have a mentor, I’ve still got a mentor and its really important to get the right industry experience and focus and you will have and successful and enjoyable career.”
Robert Persson, Managing Director of Off to Work also attended with Alan Manni, Chef Manager, he concluded,
“It’s so lovely to be here supporting young people in our industry. I have had an excellent evening and it was lovely to meet Denise Charles and Bob Carruthers who are doing a great job in staging these wonderful themed evenings to give the students work experience of working functions, perfect preparation for the world of work. I’m looking forward to working with the college going forward and giving their students a world of opportunities in high end event catering and the wider hospitality industry.”
What was on the menu?
Starters
Soupe à l’oignon (French Onion Soup)
Potage St Germaine (Green Pea Soup) (v)
Mains
Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Bourguignon served with Roast Garlic Mash Potato and Glazed Baby Vegetables
Cheese, Potato, Leek and Watercress Pithivier served with Glazed Baby Vegetables & Watercress Cream
Dessert
Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice-cream
Ile flottante (Floating Island)
Photography by Carlos Farinha
International Salon Culinaire 2024 Opens for Entries
Historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire, taking place on 25-27 March 2024 at ExCeL London, has opened for entries with more than 100 live and static competitions taking place over three days.
New for 2024 is the Australian Wagyu Beef competition in partnership with Meat & Livestock Australia, Junior and Senior pasta competitions in partnership with Dell’Ugo Foods and an evolution of Tilda Chef Team of the Year which will challenge competing chefs to focus on using ‘waste’ or by-products to create delicious dishes. The competition has also welcomed Oatly as a partner for an all-new plant-based challenge.
Returning challenge Pub Chef of the Year will be partnering with Essential Cuisine to ask chefs to create an outstanding pie dish, while Craft Guild of Chefs Team of the Year in conjunction with Waitrose & Partners will be asking chefs to develop a delicious bowl food menu.
The Skills Theatre will allow aspiring and student chefs to demonstrate their skills in live competition and provide the perfect platform to showcase their talents and refine their skills essential for their career growth. In Salon Display, chefs will be challenged to construct a visually beautiful plate and put their creativity to the test.
Salon Chef Director Steve Munkley comments: “Chefs are in more demand than ever, with the industry crying out for new recruits. HRC and Salon Culinaire give us, the ‘cheffing’ industry, the opportunity to shine and show off our talents, encouraging others to join and make us stronger in the long term.”
Judges for the 2024 edition of Salon Culinaire include John Williams MBE, Executive Chef at The Ritz London, Will Torrent, Senior Brand Development Chef at Waitrose & Partners, Michelin-starred chef and consultant Daniel Galmiche and Cherish Finden, acclaimed pastry chef and judge on Bake Off: The Professionals.
Finden says: “I am honoured to be a part of the 2024 International Salon Culinaire judging panel. Live competitions provide chefs with a remarkable opportunity to test their skills, showcase their culinary creativity, and expand their professional network. I wholeheartedly encourage chefs, regardless of their skill level, to participate and elevate their careers.”
The competition is once again supported by Compass Group UK & Ireland as headline partner.
Nick Vadis, Culinary Director and Compass Group comments: “International Salon Culinaire is an incredibly valuable chance for chefs to expand their skillset, demonstrate their creativity and resourcefulness, and connect with industry peers. The competition has been fantastic for chefs across Compass Group who have been able to stand out from the crowd and embrace new opportunities within the business. I can’t wait to see what this year’s competitors bring to the table.”
To find out more about all the competitions at International Salon Culinaire 2024, and for more information on entering, visit internationalsalonculinaire.co.uk. Salon Culinaire takes on 25-27 March 2024 at ExCeL London alongside HRC, Hotel, Restaurant & Catering, The Pub Show, IFE, International Food & Drink Event and IFE Manufacturing.
Next Level Foraging
Sophia Goard and Jo Webster from Somerset-based The Peach love to forage, but that’s just the start of their preparations. Once gathered, the ingredients can be used fresh, fermented and even dried. Lucky guests, who have been invited to the Chefs’ Knowledge Launch lunch at Devon’s Bovey Castle on November 20th will get a taste of what Sophia and Jo are so excited about.
“We don’t just forage,” explained Sophia. “We are humbled by nature and see every edible plant and flower as an opportunity to nurture us in ways we have forgotten. Some of the things we forage can be eaten straight away, fresh, but others need to be fermented to bring out their best qualities and even dried to preserve them. It’s an endless cycle and our ancestors knew it intimately. Not everything is edible, but once you start to learn what can be done with nature’s larder, you start to appreciate that modern medicine is based on old-fashioned knowledge of our natural world and we can literally forage and ferment ourselves back to good health.”
“We met recently with Mark Budd, executive chef at Bovey Castle to scope out the forageables and to offer him and his team a taste of a range of ferments for the lunch,” Sophia continued.
“The chefs would like to incorporate a ferment or two with some foraged ingredients and some wild greens into the lunch on the day of the launch. Mark Budd is preparing a beef dish and Jo’s Jerusalem artichoke, fennel, horseradish and chili ferment will go alongside it. Horseradish is a plant that grows in the wild in the UK, and it complements the sweetness of the artichokes beautifully. When Jerusalem chokes are fermented, they don’t create wind because some of the fibre has already been transformed by the bacteria, so that gas is released in the fermenting Kilner jar!
“A fermented tomato salsa with sorrel and nettle is also in design, to preserve the last of our tomato glut and to take advantage of what’s out during the Autumn. Autumn can be like a second Spring for tasty greens (as well as yielding seeds and roots).
“Mitchell & Cooper have kindly lent us another Excalibur food dehydrator and we were very excited to increase our dehydration capacity accordingly. After harvesting the fresh material – sorrel leaves, nettle leaves, hogweed seeds – they were dehydrated to preserve them in a way that retains their flavour and enables easy incorporation into ferments.
“With the Excalibur machine, drying was done at 45°C for about 8 hours. After dehydration, the material can be powdered using a grinder and stored for later use, much like the other spices we commonly turn to in our larders. The sorrel leaves, for example, retain their green-apple-skin-tartness after drying. Drying is also a good way to retain the nutrient content of the plant material. Given it is the end of the growing season and that the days will soon be too short and cold for plants to grow much, drying produce picked now is a great way to preserve the flavours of fresh shoots for the Winter months, known before industrial agriculture as ‘the hungry gap’.
For more information visit www.the-peach.org
Chef of the Week: Jordan Barnes, Head Chef at SakkuSamba in Manchester
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I started at SakkuSamba in September 2023.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
Always watching my mum cook for the family and watching tv programmes showing it can be a great career.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Being a chef I enjoy the feeling of being able to express myself onto a plate of food and hearing happy customers is such an amazing feeling that I can offer customers memories and make there experience as enjoyable as possible.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt, pepper and fat (oil or butter).
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
My range of utensils.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I have spotted that eco-friendly dining is a huge trend at the moment.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Overworking and taking everything personally when it does t go right.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
It has to be winter with more homely hearty meals.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Has to be my trio of lamb.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Keeping on top of customer wants and then build from there.
Who was your greatest influence?
My mother.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
- Spencer Burge
- Miho Sato
- Marcus Wareing
What is your favourite cookbook?
It has to be Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
- Tom Meyer
- Calvin Eng
- Marcus Clayton
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
My favourite restaurant opening of last year would be The Portrait by Richard Corrigan.
Sent To Jail
The cream of Cornish chef talent spent the day in jail on Monday 13th November, but it was all in a good cause! The Chefs’ Knowledge Launch tour reached Bodmin to celebrate everything Cornwall with the location being the Bodmin Jail Hotel.
Welcome drinks by Chefs’ Forum Sponsors Brown Brothers Winery (Australia) and Forbishers Juices (Exeter) were offered to guests including chefs, restaurateurs, suppliers and key hospitality professionals from the Southwest followed by the main attraction – a four course lunch.
The Chefs’ Forum gathered together four top chefs from Cornwall (all very smartly-dressed in Chef Works jackets) to work the kitchens and delight the guests – and they did just that, according to Chefs’ Forum Director Catherine Farinha:
“We love coming to Cornwall. There is such a diversity of talent and scrumptious ingredients like Aussie Wagyu from Meat & Livestock Australia, TRUEfoods stock and the finest fresh produce from Dole Foodservice – It’s hard not to have a good time. And it was such fun to come to the Bodmin Jail Hotel. It’s such a cool and breath-taking location, fitted-out to the highest standard and the chefs put on a delicious feast for us.”
The top chefs on show were Gavin Edney from The Headland Hotel, Bruce Rennie from The Shore Restaurant, Dane Watkins from Bodmin Jail Hotel and Darryl Collins from Mullion Cove Hotel with Denis Drame MCA from Classic Fine Foods.
“The Chefs’ Forum always put on a show-stopping event,” said Dane Watkins from Bodmin Jail Hotel. “Today was no exception. It was a pleasure for us to play host and we had a fine lunch and it was great to see so many friends and professionals having a great time. It was also an introduction to us of The Chefs’ Knowledge and we can’t wait to start dipping into this treasure-trove of information.”
The lunch in full:
Starter – Gavin Edney (The Headland Hotel)
Agnolotti of caramelised artichoke, woodland mushrooms, Cornish Gouda and truffle
Fish course – Bruce Rennie (The Shore Restaurant)
Cornish Hake, squash, oyster mushrooms and nasturtium
Main course – Dane Watkins (Bodmin Jail Hotel)
Aussie beef fillet, smoked brisket cottage pie, heritage carrot and sprout
Dessert – Darryl Collins (Mullion Cove Hotel) & Denis Drame MCA (Classic Fine Foods)
Lemon meringue tart
Julio De Carvalho, General Manager at Bodmin Jail loved hosting his industry peers, he said
“It is fantastic to have such a high level of hospitality and catering expertise in one room, the energy is electric and its wonderful to showcase our venue. I believe it is crucial to support each other in the current climate, and this iconic industry event did just that, I’m really looking forward to the next one!”
Steve Snow, Managing Director of MCS Technical Products, a headline sponsor of the event said
“It was great to meet all the Cornish Chefs and showcase CookTek Induction. The chefs showed a great del of interest and it was fantastic to meet Gavin Edney from The Headland Hotel in person to thank him for his recent testimonial on our market-leading FlashGRILL. I really enjoy networking with the chefs and also other sponsors including UK pottery stalwart, Wedgwood who supplied eye-catching Renaissance bone china plates for the main course by Dane Watkins of Bodmin Jail, this really works for everyone who attends, from a brand profile-raising perspective and the sheer enthusiasm from everyone who attended.”
All sponsors are hand-picked and vetted/endorsed by our Patrons and Chef Members for being the very best in the business and we would very-much welcome applications from hospitality-targeted brands who would like to work with us, for more information, please contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com
Film & photography by Carlos Farinha
High Steaks Indeed
Something magical happens when great ingredients meet outstanding cooking methods and that’s what went down at Meat Feast in Manchester on Wednesday.
The special event organised by The Chefs’ Forum saw the best of Aussie Beef put through its paces by Bem Brasil in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Rui Rodrigues, Operations Manager at Bem Brasil was delighted to host his industry peers and showcase the restaurant concept, he said
“We were really impressed with the quality of the Aussie beef. As you can imagine, we get through a lot of meat across our three sites – About two tonnes a week. Our meat that we serve in Bem Brasil typically comes from the UK & Ireland, but its great to know that this quality product is now available alongside and it tastes delicious – I especially liked the dry aged version that we aged in the Klima, there was lots of marbling, and the dry aging gave it more of an intense flavour.
Its great that there’s now more choice of sustainable fresh produce for our chefs and the wider UK Market.”
Dry aged and wet aged steaks – sirloin, rib eye and picanha – from Jack’s Creek in New South Wales, Australia were cooked on skewers on a specialist grill with thirty hooks for multiple skewers to be cooked at the same time, to enable a steady flow of meat to be taken to the guests and carved at the table by skilled pasadores (waiters who carve the meat). Typical Brazilian sides including vinaigrette, fejoada (black bean and pork soup), garlic rice, cheese bread, farofa, batata frita and fried banana were also on the menu and everything was washed down with quality Australian wines from Brown Brothers, including Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris, Syrah and a delicious sparkling Moscato.
Talking about the event Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “The marriage of Australian meat and Brazilian 
cooking was spot on. We used a mixture of dry ageing and wet ageing and utilised the Klima dry ageing cabinet to perfection. The meat was amazing and the cooking at Bem Brazil really brought out the rich flavours. It was a top event with some really great chefs in attendance.”
Stephen Edwards, UK Business Manager of Meat & Livestock Australia, said: “This was a truly great event for us to be involved with. Not only was it a perfect showcase of Aussie beef but it was thrilling to see it being enjoyed by so many top chefs from the North of England. Aussie beef is world class and Jack’s Creek are the current holders of the World’s Best Ribeye.”
Steve Snow, Managing Director of MCS Technical Products was on hand to present the Klima dry aging unit and tell the chefs about the process of aging the meat in advance of the event.
George Edwards, Category Specialist – Fresh Meat Sales & Marketing from Jack’s Creek London echoed the positive synopsis of the day, he said
“This was a great event with Meat & Livestock Australia and The Chefs’ Forum as we looked at our incredible Jacks Creek Black Angus Range.
A highlight was being able to compare wet and dry aging techniques on the same beef. We would like to thank Stephen Edwards for organising and inviting so many talented and inquisitive chefs.”
Chef of the Week: Andrew Spence, Head Chef at The Boar’s Head in Fife
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
Since before it was open worked very closely with the owners and helping them achieve were collective dreams. Been open for about 2 years.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
The passion started at a young age of ten where I watched my parents cutting up a whole lamp on the kitchen table, where I learnt my skills was more then one place from beginning it in Scotland and then travelling over to France, Spain and Austria primarily, also travelling to South East Asia was a real eye opener for a different style of cuisine.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
To discover a whole other world within. Being able to work with food and amazing produce. mainly being able to inspire younger chefs to put in love for the food that they cook and most importantly putting a smile on people’s faces.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without?
Love, passion and heart (salt helps as well!).
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
A spoon!
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Spotting veganism a lot as a trend, however hoping it will pass soon.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Thinking money is more important than the food some of them cook, if they put love and passion into their food then money will come later however lots of them can’t wait.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Spring, as the cosey food is still there with a flourish of new beginnings and looking towards fresh colours of life.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Every single one I put out the door, however I do have a few favourites but they’re a secret.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Take a fruit, vegetable or piece of meat, then elevate and create something special with it.
Who was your greatest influence?
That’s a hard one as most of the chefs I worked with I have been influenced by them all. In all really would be my mother and father as they always told me never to give up!
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Tom Kerridge, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Practical Cookery.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
From one Andrew to the next, Andrew Moss at The North Port.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Our one! The Boar’s Head in Auchtermuckty!!
Winning by a Royal mile
On Monday 6th November Radisson Blu Edinburgh played host to a special culinary lunch, featuring four of the region’s top chefs along with a group of students from two local colleges.
The occasion was the launch of The Chefs’ Knowledge Lunch Scotland, organised by The Chefs’ Forum, one of the UK’s leading hospitality networking platforms. Students from Edinburgh College and West Lothian College were given the opportunity of a unique first-hand hospitality experience, working under the guidance of the finest chefs in the region.
Richard Mayne, General Manager at Radisson Blu, said: “This is a great opportunity for the students from two local catering colleges, and we are delighted to partner with The Chefs’ Forum on such a fantastic initiative. The experience the students will get from this is invaluable.”
The 238-room hotel centrally located on the famous Royal Mile in Edinburgh welcomed a room of 100 top Scottish hospitality industry professional to enjoy a mouth-watering menu created by chefs Andrew Spence, Gary Townsend, Jonnie Ferguson, Barath Kumar and Marco Drummond Nobrega.
“We’re overwhelmed by the star power in the kitchen,” revealed Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum. “We’ve come a long way and this year’s lunches have really caught the attention of our chefs and suppliers. Everyone that is contributing is really raising the bar of what we can achieve which is fabulous for the students who come to learn on the day.”
Barath Kumar, Head Chef at Radisson Blu Edinburgh, said: “It was great to welcome the guest chefs and students to our kitchens. This is such an amazing way to celebrate our partnership with The Chefs’ Forum and work alongside some of the best chefs in Scotland. It was wonderful to get such great feedback from the guests and for the students to taste the food. I was proud to showcase Radisson as a brilliant employer, fully invested in ongoing training and development of the team.”
What the guests ate…
Amuse bouche – Andrew Spence (The Boar’s Head)
Andy’s seared Isle of Seil hand dived scallop, pickled shallots, parmesan crisp, sauce blanc, parsley oil, topped with Koppert Cress Moai Caviar & sea herbs
Starter – Gary Townsend (Hotel du Vin One Devonshire Gardens)
Aussie Lamb rump, Red Lentil Dahl – Cauliflower – Onions – Vadouvan Spice – Coriander
Fish course – Jonnie Ferguson (Roux Scholar 2022 & The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant)
Royal Greenland Cod, Fermented Celeriac, Oyster Mushrooms and Kanzuri
Main course – Barath Kumar (Radisson Blu Edinburgh)
Aussie beef mignon, barbacoa brisket, roscoff onion, truffled mash, cauliflower Dubarry, duxelles and port jus
Dessert – Marco Drummond Nobrega (The Bonham Hotel)
Chocolate ganache & raspberry aquafaba Honeycomb & vanilla ice cream
The Chefs elected two ‘Stars of the Day’; one from Edinburgh College and one from West Lothian College, who really impressed on the day.
It was Callum Young from Edinburgh College and Dianne McGowan from West Lothian College who each won a copy of The Chefs’ Knowledge.
Callum said
“I have really enjoyed the day and I am overjoyed to win a copy of The Chefs’ Knowledge. I have seen it at college, but to have my own copy is truly amazing. I really enjoyed working with Roux Scholar, Jonnie Ferguson who I see as a real inspiration, I really have had a wonderful day today.”
Any Scottish chefs wishing to get involved with The Chefs’ Forum or the colleges who participated should contact brogen@redcherry.uk.com
Roux Scholarship 2024: Entries Open as Roux Family Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Competition
The Roux Family is delighted to reveal the details of The Roux Scholarship 2024, which sees some exciting developments set to mark the 40th anniversary of the competition. Entries open today with UK-resident chefs, aged 22-29, invited to create their own recipe using a delicious range of ingredients.
Emily Roux joins the judging panel and Board of Directors
Chef Emily Roux is chef-patron of Caractère Restaurant in Notting Hill and trained for several years in some of France’s best restaurants before returning to the UK in 2016 and opening Caractère in 2018. She brings her knowledge and talent for cooking French and Italian cuisines to the judging panel, as well as her personal expertise and perspective to the Board of Directors. She said: “I am super excited to be joining the panel of judges. Being alongside some incredible chefs and previous winners is a real honour. The Roux Scholarship is a real trampoline for any young chef’s career.”
National final to take place at the Alain Roux Culinary School at The Waterside Inn
The new Culinary School is set in Michel Roux OBE’s former home at The Waterside Inn and was created as a unique centre of culinary education and training for the restaurant’s own kitchen and front of house staff, as well as guests. The six national finalists will use state-of-the-art equipment on its six kitchen stations and will serve their dish to the judges in the adjoining Michel Roux library, which holds Alain’s late father’s extraordinary collection of books. Its interiors were designed by Laura Roux.
Alain Roux said: “The 2024 final will feel like a homecoming! We are literally bringing The Roux Scholarship home… to my father’s home and I could not be happier. There can be no better tribute, as we look to celebrate 40 years since the founding of The Scholarship by my father and uncle. The legacy of which he was most proud is The Roux Scholarship. Next year, in his own kitchen, we will choose our new Scholar to join the family.”
Michel Roux Jr said: “In life, there are ‘pinch me’ moments and to be able to hold the 40th anniversary Roux Scholarship final in what was my uncle’s house is definitely one of them. Both brothers would be so proud to see the school and that we are holding the final there.”
Recipe challenge 2024
The Roux Scholarship 2024 competition invites chefs to create a recipe for four people using the following ingredients and criteria:
- One short loin of free-range gilt pork from the shoulder end, weighing anywhere between 1.6kg and 1.8kg maximum, untrimmed with four bones in.
- In addition, use two fresh pork kidneys, together plated with crackling and two simple or composed garnishes/accompaniments. One of them must include sweet potatoes and the other can be a garnish/accompaniment of the contestant’s choice. One of these can be served separately, if preferred.
- A sauce must accompany the dish.
Entrants have until midnight on Monday 22nd January 2024 to submit their recipes via the online application system. For additional rules and stipulations, see rouxscholarship.co.uk/how-to-enter/rules/
Chairman Alain Roux said: “The short loin of gilt pork is one of my favourite cuts and, like the kidneys, offers great value and inspiration to create a fantastic dish. The loin is super versatile with the juiciest, most succulent meat and exceptional subtle flavours. The Roux family loves offal and we will be looking for careful preparation and technique to best preserve texture and flavour. There’s so much scope here to use different styles, flavour combinations and techniques, it should prove a fascinating challenge for our would-be scholars.”
Chairman Michel Roux said: “Short loin of pork, especially from the shoulder end, is a tremendous cut; lots of marbling, skin and the kidneys to regale the palate. This recipe challenge has so much potential for creativity and different styles of cuisine.”
What else is new for 2024?
- The Roux Scholarship is delighted to welcome two new sponsors: The Macallan, renowned worldwide for its extraordinary single malt whiskies; Showerings Cider, a family-owned business that has making award-winning cider for 180 years.
- This will be the second year that the winner will choose from two star prizes: the two-month stage at a three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world, or a bespoke training plan tailored to the chef’s skills and knowledge gaps.
- As the first step of the application, chefs must register their entry via the website. If they meet the application criteria (eg. age, UK resident, correct qualifications), they will be sent the invitation to complete online the recipe application form.
- For the two years after the pandemic, the age limit was increased to 31. However, the upper age limit for the 2024 competition will be exactly 30 years old. Therefore, if a chef turns 30 on or before 1st February 2024 they qualify for entry.
- The Roux Scholarship continues to be dedicated to encouraging chefs of all genders and ethnicities to enter the competition, with diversity and ethnicity monitoring included in the application form. To read the White Paper produced in 2022 following the Round Table discussion, visit the website at: rouxscholarship.co.uk/diversity-and-the-roux-scholarship/
- The 2024 competition will be the fourth time the Mentorship Award is offered as a prize. As well as the £6,000 awarded to the winner for their career development, an additional £6,000 is awarded to them on completion of 15 months’ service with their current employer after they win. Should they take up a new role in that time, the funds will be awarded to the original employer to help in the development of the remaining brigade.
- The Honorary President of Judges will be announced in due course.
The Judges
In addition to Emily Roux The judging panel will remain the same for the 2024 competition and is as follows: Alain Roux, Michel Roux Jr, Brian Turner CBE, Sat Bains (Scholar 1999), André Garrett (Scholar 2002), Simon Hulstone (Scholar 2003), James Martin, Clare Smyth MBE, Rachel Humphrey and Angela Hartnett OBE.
Important dates:
22nd January 2024: Deadline for applications.
7th March 2024: Regional finalists compete, each cooking their written recipe plus a mystery basket dessert recipe challenge. Regional finals take place at University College Birmingham and University of West London. Six national finalists shortlisted.
8th April 2023: National Final at The Waterside Inn Culinary School. Award ceremony venue TBC.
Prizes
In addition to the two options for the star prize, the winner receives up to £12,000, to support their career development as well as a host of fabulous prizes from our sponsors.
Chef of the Week: Matt Powell, Group Executive Chef at Hotel du Vin
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have been with Hotel du Vin and Malmaison for 25 years.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My passion for food came from my grandfather who was a greengrocer.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Being creative and every day is a different day.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Good quality oil, good quality butter and Maldon sea salt.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Am I allowed to say my knives I think knives are very personal to a chef and I find it hard to do my job with out my own.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I’m not sure it’s a current trend but I see people using cheaper cuts e.g. rump for Sunday roast instead of rib or sirloin, also for example we use topside instead of fillet of our tartar.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Attention to detail and taking time to do things the correct way.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Autumn, I really liked the braised dishes like beef bourguignon and hot desserts apple tarte tatin.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Again our beef bourguignon as we are always trying to make it better by tweaking it here and there but still keeping it authentic.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Working closely with my team bouncing ideas of each other.
Who was your greatest influence?
In cooking it would probably be the old executive chef for Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, Keith Shearer.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Stephane Reynaud, Henry Harris & Mark Hix.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Ripailles or 365 by Stephane Reynaud.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Andrew Clarke.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Bouchon Racine in Farringdon.
