Regional finalists for Roux Scholarship 2009

A total of 20 young chefs will compete for a place in the finals, four of whom have been national finalists before. The lucky finalists are: Lisa Allen - Northcote Manor Helene Andersen - Ambassade de l'Ile Jordan Annabi - Lochgreen House Hotel, Ayr Frederic Aumeunier - Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa Robert Barham - The Stafford Hotel Quinton Bennett - The Westbury Mayfair Mark Birchall - L'Enclume Jonathan Coates - Kensington Place Kenneth Culhane - Baxter Storey Hrishikesh Desai - Lucknam Park Hotel Pramod Ghadge - Compass Group Chris Golding - Nahm Restaurant Liam Hill - The Westbury Mayfair Kyle Jenkins - The Westbury Mayfair Adam Peirson - Claridge's Cameron Rutherford - Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa Stephen Stevens - Juniper Restaurant Matthew Street - The Eastbury Hotel, Sherborne Kevin Sutherland - Baxter Storey John Murray - St John Bread & Wine The regional heats will take place on 5 March at Birmingham College of Food and Thames Valley University. The contestants will cook their best end of lamb recipe as originally submitted and be asked to prepare a dessert from a list of ingredients given to them on the day. The best six competitors will be selected to go through to the National Final, which takes place at on 6 April at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London followed by a glittering awards ceremony. The judging panel comprises Albert and Michel Roux, chairman of the judges, their respective sons Michel Junior and Alain, Brian Turner, Gary Rhodes, David Nicholls, Heston Blumenthal and Andrew Fairlie. Guest judge this year is Richard Vines, chief food critic for Bloomberg News. The Roux Scholar not only wins the renowned three month stage at a 3-star Michelin establishment, plus £5,000 cash, courtesy of the Savoy Educational Trust, which is to be used to enhance their culinary education. As well as numerous prizes from supporting companies, he or she also receives a week's paid work-experience in New York, courtesy of Restaurant Associates; an expenses paid trip including travel and overnight accommodation to visit the wine cellars of Champagne Gosset at Aÿ, and a trip for two to visit the Caffé Musetti roasting factory in Milan. The Scholar also becomes a member of the elite Roux Scholars Club, which meets on a regular basis for education trips and events, offers special privileges to members and forms a unique networking opportunity. Each national finalist wins a cheque for £1,000 to further their education, a day's butchery course, courtesy of Fairfax Meadow, an engraved commemorative saucier from All-Clad, sets of knives from Global plus a year's complimentary membership of the Institute of Hospitality.