Join Brakes' Student Team Chef Challenge

Now in its 15th year, the Brakes Student Team Chef Challenge in association with the Craft Guild of Chefs, is designed to cook up interest in and support for British food. We're keen to explore and celebrate the best of British cooking, so finalists will be asked to use local and regional ingredients to develop a 3 course, 4 cover menu to give us a taste of their part of the country. The Format The competition is targeted at teams of student chefs studying at NVQ Level 3 and is an opportunity for them to showcase their culinary skills before embarking on their first professional job. Each team will consist of three members and they will be asked to prepare, cook and serve a regional 3 course meal for 4 covers in 1 hr 45 minutes. From the paper entries, short-listed entrants will be invited to attend one of five regional heats (Scotland, Wales, Northern, Central and Southern) where they will compete in a live cook off against nine other teams. They will be judged on their regional menu, taste, presentation, teamwork, seasoning, culinary skills, working methods and overall balance. The five winning teams from the heats will then be invited to take part in the live final at ScotHot in Glasgow on 4th March 2009. The Prizes First Prize The members of the winning team will each receive a Global knife set and a five day work experience placement with Christopher Basten, Head Chef at County Hall and Competition Manager of the Craft Guild of Chefs. Second & Third Prize £150 each of Brakes Catering Equipment vouchers. Brakes will also professionally photograph each of the team's menus (which can be used in their portfolios) as well as publish them in subsequent editions of their seasonal magazine which has a circulation in excess of 35,000 copies. The top team from each of the regional heats will go forward into the final at ScotHot in 2009. Each of the five teams in the final will receive a chefs jacket. All entrants will receive a 25% discount on student membership rates to the Craft Guild of Chefs and expenses covered (£200 maximum) per finalist's travel to ScotHot. Regional Finals - Prizes The members of the winning team will each receive £75 of Brakes Catering Equipment vouchers and team members of the two runners-up will receive Brakes Catering Equipment vouchers to the value of £40. Please click on the PDF below to download more information and an entry form.