2009 Roux Scholarship now open for entries

Chefs wanting to take part are required to submit a lamb recipe for the first stage of the competition. In addition to the main part of the prize – a stage of up to three months at a three Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe – the winner takes home a cash prize of £5,000 and a host of other prizes. The Roux Scholarship is often seen as a way for many young chefs to get themselves set on the culinary 'fast track'. Daniel Cox (pictured) won last year. The judging panel comprises the Roux brothers and their respective sons, as well as Heston Blumenthal; Andrew Fairlie; David Nicholls; Gary Rhodes and Brian Turner and guest judge Richard Vines from Bloomberg. Michel Roux senior explained more about the competition: "Our panel of judges is one of the things which sets our competition aside from some other contests. There is continuity as most of the panel have been involved with the competition for decades – the addition of a guest judge each year brings a fresh dimension to our judging and we have been honoured over the years by the calibre of all our judges. "It is worth pointing out however, that for the first stage of the judging, the judges have no idea whose entry they are marking. Entries are numbered and it is only once the regional finalists have been selected, that their names are given to the judges. Entrants who fail to reach the regional heat retain their anonymity and are only known to the competition organisers." To enter, entrants must submit a recipe, to serve four people, using two best ends of lamb (leaving bone in) accompanied by two garnishes, one of which must be potato, and the other using one green vegetable. The dish should also be accompanied by a light jus or a salsa. They are also required to submit costings for the dish. The closing date for entries is Friday January 23 2009. Weblink: www.rouxscholarship.co.uk Picture Source: The Roux Scholarship