Annual Awards of Excellence 2013 open for entries

Applicants must currently be working full-time in the UK in one of the aforementioned positions and should be aged between 20 and 26 on 31 December 2012. Since the Awards launched in 1983, over 400 young people have achieved the award, setting them off on successful career paths.

With Heston Blumenthal as honorary president, the Annual Awards of Excellence are an examination as well as a competition; all or none of the candidates can achieve the award depending on their ability to attain the standard of excellence set by the judges. 

In addition, the winning candidate who scores the highest marks in each section will be named the Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter 2013.

Last year, the Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef of the Year went to Ian Musgrave of The Ritz; Melissa Paul of William Curley scooped the Young Pastry Chef of the Year award and Romain Crozat from Galvin at Windows took home the gong for Young Waiter of the Year.

Selection for this year's Awards is based on written entries. Successful candidates will go forward to regional semi-finals in April and finals in June where they will be tested on a wide range of skills. For more information and to enter, visit www.academyofculinaryarts.org.uk​