Tom Scade from the Ritz Wins Le Taittinger Prix Culinaire UK Final 2017
Tom Scade from the Ritz has won the UK National Final of the 51st Le Taittinger Prix Culinaire International competition.
He battled against Quentin Plateaux from Roux at the Landau and James Sleep from White's Club during the live final held on Saturday (23 September) at Roux at Parliament Square.
The three finalists each had to prepare their classic dish on a theme chosen by the organising committee, which this year was on a roast stuffed rack of farmhouse pork using ingredients chosen from a supplied list.
They were also tasked with preparing a second dish based on a theme chosen by Michel Roux Jr. This year this dish was Treacle Tart with a garnish of your choice but not ice-cream or sorbet.
Michel Roux Jr headed up the panel of ten chefs as presidential judge for the UK for the third consecutive year.
The other judges were Rachel Humphrey from Le Gavroche; Romuald Feger from the Four Seasons Park Lane; Michael Wignall from Gidleigh Park, Simon Hulstone from the Elephant Restaurant; French judge Gerard Macqueron; Mark Flanagan, Head Chef to the Royal household; Arnaud Bignon of The Greenhouse; Pascal Aussignac from Club Gascon; Steve Groves from Roux at Parliament Square; Claude Bosi from Bibendum and Mike Reid from M Restaurants.
Scade received £2,000 and a trophy. He will now go forward to compete in the International Final to be held in Paris on 20 November, where he will be joined by the winners from Japan, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.
All UK finalists received a Jeroboam of Champagne Taittinger.
Artistic and marketing director at Champagne Taittinger, Vitalie Taittinger said: "This year's competition has been the toughest yet, the standards are so high and you need to be on the top of your game to win. Congratulations to Tom for winning tonight. He fought off very strong competition and I look forward to seeing him in Paris for the final."
The competition, which was set up 51 years ago, is open to chefs between the ages of 24 and 39, with over five years' experience.
Chef Julien Richard wins 50th Prix Culinaire International Taittinger >>
Waterside Inn chef wins UK final of Taittinger Prix Culinaire >>
Jérémy Desbraux wins Le Prix Culinaire International Le Taittinger >>
Videos from The Caterer archives
