Last chance to enter this year's Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Awards
The deadline is fast approaching to apply for this year's Royal Academy of Culinary Arts' Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE).
In their 31st year, the awards are open to all UK-based chefs, pastry chefs and waiters who were aged 20 to 26 on 31 December 2013.
All entries must be received by Friday 14 February.
All or none of the entrants can be awarded the AAE, dependent on whether they reach the standard required, and as such there is no official first, second or third place.
However, the candidate with the highest marks in each section will be named the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef; Young Pastry Chef; and Young Waiter 2014.
The first selection round is based on written entries, with the semi-finals taking place in April. The finals take place in May and test a range of skills.
All finalists will win a certificate and a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Champagne, while all the final winners will be invited to a gala presentation dinner in July. They will then receive a chef's jacket or sommelier's apron, a diploma and a magnum of Champagne.
The top scoring finalists will also receive a set of Victorinox knives, Meyer cookware, an engraved silver trophy and a bursary from the Savoy Educational Trust allowing them an international, educational trip. Past trips have included visits to New Orleans, Dubai, Mexico, Champagne, Tuscany, Barbados and St Lucia.
Last year's winners came from top establishments including Claridge's, Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, the Ritz, Le Gavroche and Gleneagles.
Eligible candidates can by filling in an entry form, downloadable from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts website, by calling 020 8673 6300 or sending an email to ilishawaring@raoca.org.uk.
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