Craft Guild celebrates 50 years with student chef competition

The Craft Guild of Chefs has launched a canapé competition for student chefs, as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary at St James's Palace.

Catering colleges from across the UK are being invited to enter the competition to develop six canapés suitable for serving at the glittering event on 21 April 2015.

Each college must first submit a paper entry by 28 February after which a shortlist of three will be selected to attend the kitchens at Buckingham Palace to produce their canapés, where they will be tasted by the Guild's Royal Patron, HRH the Countess of Wessex and a winner chosen.

The winning college students will return to Buckingham Palace on the day of the party to assist the royal chef, Mark Flanagan, in preparing the canapés to be served that evening.

Christopher Basten, national chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said the competition was in the true spirit of nurturing the next generation of chefs in the UK.

"This is a fantastic and unique opportunity for the nation's catering students to play a key role in our 50th anniversary celebrations and have the chance to shine at a high profile event attended by royalty and some of the biggest names in the chef world," he said.

"The anniversary party is one of the highlights of this year's 50th celebrations, marking a momentous milestone for the Guild as the largest chefs' association in the UK, staunch supporter of education and the advancement of culinary art and science across all sectors."

Visit www.craftguildofchefs.org for full details.