The winning chef will secure an opportunity to cook and train in a three-Michelin-star restaurant anywhere in the world for up to three months, and will also receive up to £12,000 in prize money to support their career development.
As the Roux Scholarship resumes its normal schedule after the postponement of the 2020/21 competition, there have been some changes to the application system and the rules.
To compensate for the time lost due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the age limit for the 2022 competition will be 31.
Applicants to the Roux Scholarship will no longer need to be working full-time, so long as their principal employment is as a professional chef.
With a challenge that will test chefs’ creativity as much as their skills, chairmen Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr have set out the ingredients for chefs’ applications: two fresh Dover soles weighing anywhere between 600g-700g (maximum 800g) cooked and served either whole, or in fillets; and 300g of whole brown shrimps with shells on, together plated with two ‘simple’ or ‘composed’ garnishes or accompaniments.
One of them must include homemade pasta made on the day of the competition. The other is to be a garnish or accompaniment of their choice. One of these can be served separately if preferred, and a sauce must accompany the dish.
“The beauty of these superb ingredients is their simplicity: Dover sole is at its best in spring when the dishes will be prepared," says Alain Roux.
"It will be fascinating to see how our chefs deal with offering tasty, interesting dishes while not over-complicating the delicate fresh flavours. In particular, I am excited to see what shape of pasta the chefs will choose. I’m really looking forward to some inspired cooking.”
Two weeks ago Oli Williamson, sous chef at The Fat Duck, was named the winner of the 2020/21 Roux Scholarship.
“No sooner the competition is over and the next one begins," says Michel Roux Jr.
"Dover sole, shrimps and pasta: so much scope for flair and imagination, I can’t wait to see what our chefs come up with. I know what I would do but what will the 2022 scholar create?”
The 2022 competition will be the second time the Mentorship Award is offered as a prize.
As well as the £6,000 awarded to the winner for their career development, an additional £6,000 is awarded to them on completion of 15 months’ service with their current employer after they win.
Should they take up a new role in that time, the funds will be awarded to the original employer to help in the development of the remaining brigade.
Entrants have until midnight on Monday 31st January 2022 to submit their recipes via the online application system.
