Support grows for the 2011 Young UK Chef of the Year seafood competition

This year's finalists, who will go head to head at the grand final at the Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education's Gallery Restaurant on May 20 are: two teams from Norwich City College, Oxford & Cherwell College, Stratford upon Avon College, Yorkshire Coast College, Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education, Manchester College and Nelson & Colne College. Now in its 14th year, the seafood competition founded by the Grimsby Institute's hospitality department has gone from strength to strength, gaining even more entries from colleges all over the UK. Paul Robinson, the institute's programme leader and competition manager, said that although the competition offers many fantastic prizes, the real achievement is for the competing chefs to push themselves to be the best they can be to show the industry new and inventive ways to use sustainable seafood. "This is a fantastic opportunity for young chefs to compete on a national platform within the educational sector of professional cookery training. The seafood our sponsors supply is sustainable and we endeavour to promote this in the competition," he added. As well as the prestigious trophy, the winning team receives fabulous prizes such as a cheque for £1,000, £1,000 worth of catering equipment from Russums, a day with renowned chef Jean-Christophe Novelli at his academy in Luton, a placement at a Mitch Tonks restaurant, and now one year's free membership to the Craft Guild of Chefs. Novelli, a keen supporter of the competition, said: "It is great to see so many young and talented people competing for the Young Seafood Chef of the Year. I wish all of the finalists the very best on the day; it will be an exciting and closely fought contest. I look forward to welcoming the winners to the academy, it will be a pleasure working with such talented seafood chefs." This year the challenge attracted more than 50 entries; 24 teams made it through to the regional heats, six teams competing in each of the four venues – Yorkshire Coast College, Bristol City College, City College Norwich and Blackpool & the Fylde College. Two competitors from each heat made it to the final. The event is sponsored by some of the industry's biggest seafood suppliers companies including Young's, Sealord, Clearwater and Seachill, as well as sponsors such as the Goodcatch project, which promotes the use of sustainable fish in the UK.