1st Mar 2011 - 00:00
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Abstract
The most respected and sought after culinary title, the National Chef of the Year is back for 2011, with the search now on to find the chef who has the ability and flair to walk away with this prestigious crown.
The crème de la crème in the industry will meet in a live final to be held at the Restaurant Show at Earls Court 2, London, on Tuesday, October 11 2011. The competition, which has now switched to an annual format, has helped support the careers of many past winners including Gordon Ramsay, Mark Sargeant, Kevin Viner, Simon Hulstone and last year's winner Hrishikesh Desai of the Lucknam Park Hotel, near Bath. The Craft Guild of Chefs' National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) competition, which is now in its 39th year, is open to all chefs over the age of 23 who work in any sector of the catering industry. This includes hotels, restaurants, pubs, universities and contract caterers. Celebrating the multicultural nature of the UK is the key aim of the competition and the revised format, which was introduced last year, is certainly helping to showcase that desire. This year the categories will be divided up as follows: Asian/Oriental Modern British/European Rest of the World/Other David Mulcahy, corporate events organiser for the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: "Last year's competition was a phenomenal success, the calibre of entries just seem to get stronger and stronger. We introduced categories to reflect the ethnic diversity here in the UK and it certainly went some way to reflecting the wealth of different culinary talent in this country. "We'll definitely be carrying on in that vein again this year and we urge any chef who thinks they have what it takes to win this coveted prize to enter the competition. It's a celebration of talent, open to all, and we don't want any factor to limit a chef's chance of competing." Every stage of the competition will feature intense scrutinising by an experienced panel of judges. Jun Tanaka, executive chef at Pearl Restaurant & Bar in London who was one of the judges at last year's final, said: "It was a privilege to be judging the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year competition. There are so many talented chefs in the UK and it is important that we champion these individuals. I would encourage chefs from around the country to enter this prestigious award and gain the recognition they deserve for their skills." Advancing through the various stages of the competition will require a well thought out menu which demonstrates exceptional technical skill and makes best use of food with flavour, texture, balance and style. Hrishikesh Desai, 2010 winner of NCOTY, said: "I was thrilled and extremely proud to be have won the title which I would say is one of the most prestigious events in the chef's calendar. It was a tough competition and not without its challenges – but weirdly it's that kind of pressure which I really enjoy. As a competitor you don't know what the judges are thinking so you have to be able to trust yourself and your own instincts. "Next steps for me will definitely be a Master of Culinary Arts and I would love to follow in Simon Hulstone's footsteps and represent Great Britain in the Bocuse d'Or. It would be the biggest honour in my life to represent this country. Britain has given me so much, it has taken me in as a citizen and has allowed me to develop my career." How to enter: Contestants must get their ideas down on paper for a three-course lunch menu for four people. Entries must be in by Thursday, May 12 2011. From the paper judging on June 10, 40 successful entrants will be invited to compete in one of five semi finals to be held at prestigious culinary training centres in London, Portsmouth and Sheffield between August 29 and September 16. The winner of each semi final will be announced on the day. To participate, visit www.craftguildofchefs.org and download an application form. Alternatively, for further information contact Clair Bowman on 01293 610329.