Celebrity chef Lesley Waters heads up the panel of judges, which includes James Golding of the Pig Group and Luke Matthews of Chewton Glen.
In the Aspiring Student Chefs category, which is open to those aged 11-18, there are three age groups and the winner of each offered the chance to earn a three-year Specialised Chefs Scholarship, to train to become a fully qualified chef. The scholarship includes work-based training with a chef member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts at a leading UK hotel or restaurant and full-time block release tuition at Bournemouth & Poole College.
The course is arranged by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and Teflon, and is managed by The Bournemouth & Poole College.
The other two main categories in the competition are Keen Home Cooks (19 years and over), who are asked to submit and cook their signature dinner party menu, and Keen Family Cooks (a team comprising an under 18-year-old with a parent/grandparent/guardian over 18), who are asked to submit and cook a classic dish ‘with a family twist’.
Organisers say the competition aims to acknowledge and encourage excellence in the catering industry and in the home, offering the chance for non-professional cooks to gain recognition for their cooking ability at home and for those attending school and catering colleges the opportunity to showcase what they have learnt.
Launched in 2012, the cookery competition is organised by Dupree International, and online and postal entries can be submitted individually or via schools and colleges.
The closing is October 30th, with shortlisted finalists cooking at the Bournemouth & Poole College and at the Waitrose Cookery School, London in January 2021.
For more information on the competition and to enter, please visit www.icgcompetition.co.uk.