Competition round-up

Midlands Young Chef of the Year

Gary Kilminster of Whittlebury Hall, Towcester, Northamptonshire, is the 2003 Midlands Young Chef of the Year after triumphing at a new salon competition. The two-day event was part of the first Heart of England Fine Foods Regional Food and Drink trade show, staged at Millennium Point in Birmingham.

Other gold medals went to Paul Lynch, of the Sheraton Skyline hotel, Hayes, Middlesex, for the junior lamb class; Karl Martin (first in class), of the Manor hotel, Meriden, West Midlands, and Christopher Griffett, of Birmingham College, for junior pasta; Adam Brown (first in class), of the Gallery Restaurant, Coventry, and Adam Bateman, of the Solihull Renaissance hotel, Warwickshire, for junior fish; Ian Morgan, of Waters Reach, Manchester, for pasta and lamb; Adam Bennett, of Simpson's, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, for starters and fish; Matthew Cheal, also of Simpson's, for duck; and Paul Hardwick, of the Mansion House, Poole, Dorset, for fungi.

Gordon Ramsay Scholar Award 2003

The Gordon Ramsay Scholar Award 2003 has unveiled the line-up for its final, which takes place at Westminster Kingsway College next week. Marcus Eaves, chef de partie at Pied … Terre in London, who won the fourth and final heat in Birmingham last week, will be joined by James Barber, of Holbrook House, Somerset, Tristan Welch, of Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Trevor Cunningham, of Nuremore hotel, Carrickmacross, Monaghan, Ireland, and Josh Eggleton, winner of the college final in May.

Best Apprentice of Europe

For the third time in six years a chef working in Britain has triumphed in the final of the Best Apprentice of Europe competition. Mathieu Petit, now a commis chef at Wilton's, in London's Mayfair, where he also served his apprenticeship, won the title at the Equiphotel salon in Paris earlier this month.

"I never expected to win," said Petit. "It's been hard work for a couple of months, practising through my breaks, but it was definitely worth it."

Annual Awards of Excellence

Young chefs, pastry chefs and waiters are being invited to submit entries for the 22nd Annual Awards of Excellence 2004. The competition, organised by the Academy of Culinary Arts, seeks to test the skills of young people aged between 20 and 26 on 31 December 2003 and working in the industry.

There are up to £2,000 worth of prizes to be won as well as three educational trips to the Napa Valley in California. Closing date for entries is 31 October.

For more information, telephone 020 8673 6300, or e-mail abigailheard@academyofculinaryarts.org.uk.