The 2013 Roux Scholarship now open for entries
The 2013 Roux Scholarship is now open for entries, with a three-month stage at a three-Michelin star restaurant anywhere in the world on offer to the winner.
Now in its 30th year, the prestigious cookery competition, run by the Roux family, is open to chefs in full time employment in the UK, who are aged between 22 and 30.
Celebrating the Roux Scholarship's 30th anniversary, special guest judges will include three-Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal and celebrity chef Rick Stein next to the Roux family and fellow judges Gary Rhodes, Brian Turner, James Martin and the inaugural Roux Scholar Andrew Fairlie.
Chef wishing to take part in the competition have until 28 January to submit a recipe for one stone bass (meagre) (max 2kg) and four whole fresh squid of small to medium size (10cm to 15cm in length); accompanied by two garnishes, one of which must include new potatoes and the other using a green vegetable. The dish should also be accompanied by a sauce. Full details are available on the Roux Scholarship website.
Commenting on the recipe, Alain Roux, chef patron of the three-Michelin-starred Waterside Inn, said: "Stone bass is a lovely fish that should be used more often. his year we're challenging chefs to think differently, using a fish not usually seen on restaurant menus, I'm hoping for good flavour combinations that respect the fish and enhance its unique qualities."
Recipes will be judged on paper, with 18 chefs going through to the competition's regional finals held in London and Birmingham on 7 March. The final will take place in London on 25 March, with the winner announced at a special awards ceremony held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge on the same day.
The winner will receive a three-month stage at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, plus a number of unique prizes all related to food and hospitality.
Past Roux Scholars include Michelin-starred chefs Sat Bains, Simon Hulstone, André Garrett and Steve Drake.
This year's winner, Adam Smith, premier sous chef at the Ritz London, is spending his winning stage at Yannick Alléno's three-Michelin-starred restaurant at Le Meurice hotel in Paris.
The 2013 Roux Scholarship competition will be filmed and chefs are advised to check the rules section on its website.
Look out for our feature of the Roux Scholarship club's trip to Japan in this week's issue of Caterer and Hotelkeeper.
Roux Scholar Adam Smith to spend three-month stage at Le Meurice in Paris >>
Roux Scholar Mark Birchall at El Celler de Can Roca >>
By Kerstin Kühn
E-mail your comments to Kerstin Kühn](mailto:kerstin.kuhn@catererandhotelkeeper.co.uk) here.
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