Further prizes have also been added in a bid to encourage as many chefs as possible to sign up, including a chef experience including Michelin-starred restaurants, masterclasses and food tours from Continental Chef Supplies; and a £2,500 grant to help with career development from Knorr Professional.
Chair of judges Kenny Atkinson revealed the brief for the high profile cooking competition earlier this year.
National Chef of the Year is one of the industry’s highest profile cooking competitions, with previous winners including David Everitt-Matthias, Simon Hulstone and Gordon Ramsay.
“It’s a big year for the industry as we reflect on a competition that is steeped in half a century of heritage, culinary talent and respect,” says vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs David Mulcahy.
“We’re pulling out all the stops to make this year one to remember with an inspiring brief, incredible panel of judges and once in a lifetime prizes. Not forgetting the extraordinary celebration event for the winner’s announcement that is already being worked on behind the scenes.”
National Chef of the Year is asking competitors to produce a three-course celebration menu. The starter may be a fish, seafood or vegetarian dish worthy of the special occasion, with judges focusing on the sourcing, provenance and sustainability of the ingredients used.
For the main course, chefs must use British or Irish venison and incorporate more than one element whether offal, a secondary cut or prime cut.
Judges will want to see how natural seasonal accompaniments are showcased within this dish. For the final course, the brief has been left wide open and is simply a warm or cold dessert for a grand finale which provides balance to the menu and has ‘a clear wow factor’.
Chefs can enter online here.
The competition’s sponsors this year include Boiron, CCS, Churchill, KNORR and Valrhona.
