The search has begun for the region’s best chefs. Entries are now open for the South West Chef of the Year – the annual competition that celebrates the talent and passion defining the region’s hospitality industry.
Now in its 22nd year, the contest was co-founded in 2004 by renowned chef Michael Caines MBE DL, chef/patron of the Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor to champion professional excellence, nurture rising stars and celebrate the world-class food and drink produced in the South West.
Michael said: “We’re once again on the hunt for the very best chefs and home cooks from across our region. Year after year we’re blown away by the culinary talent that exists and the incredible skills on display from our competitors. Whether it is the young students who enter the Junior Chef category, or the professionals who are at the top of their game, this is an opportunity to celebrate the many skilled and creative people in our industry.
“The competition has become a real highlight in the culinary calendar. It is a fantastic platform to showcase the amazing food and drink from the South West, of which we are very proud. It’s also an opportunity for our many high-quality hospitality venues to raise their profiles.”
Entries are open in the following categories:
• Professional Chef – any age, working as a sous chef/pastry chef or above or as a private chef
• Young Professional Chef – aged 18-24, working in any role in the kitchen up to and including junior sous chef
• Student/Apprentice Chef – aged 16-19 and at college or in an apprenticeship
• Home Cook – aged 16+, never having worked or trained in the catering industry.
The Junior Chef category closed on May 26, having opened earlier in the year. Competitors in all categories must live or work in the following counties: Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
Competitors are provided a list of seasonal ingredients and challenged to create their own unique dishes, with an emphasis on locally sourced produce. Finalists then demonstrate their skills in front of an expert judging panel, led by Michael Caines and featuring some of the South West’s most acclaimed chefs, including Nathan Outlaw, Paul Ainsworth, Elly Wentworth, Chris Cleghorn and Hywel Jones.
Last year’s overall winner was Lewis Brown from the acclaimed Fowey restaurant, Narla by Charlie Walters.
Lewis said: “Entering South West Chef of the Year is a great opportunity to show your skills and individual style whilst also competing against some of the South West’s best up and coming chefs. It’s a great experience to be judged by some of the region’s top chefs and industry leaders and it is a great way of getting your name out there. It certainly looks good on your CV, no matter where you are in your career.
“Good luck to everyone that enters – stay calm enjoy the experience and if you don’t succeed, keep pushing and try again.”
This year’s competition culminates on Tuesday, October 27 with the Professional and Student/Apprentice Chef finals at Exeter College. The day concludes with a glittering Awards Presentation Dinner at Exeter Golf and Country Club, where guests will enjoy a four-course meal cooked by judges and former winners. To reserve your tickets, email info@southwestchef.co.uk
For more information and to enter, visit: www.southwestchef.co.uk
Image credits: Steve Haywood Photography
