Young Highland Chef Competition

19th July 2011

Chefs from the Scottish Highlands and Islands are being served up the chance of a lifetime in a region-wide culinary competition to find the best young cook. Albert Roux OBE is offering the winner the chance to work for a week at his family's Michelin two-star Le Gavroche restaurant in London. Mr Roux said: "My life's work has always included education in the culinary world. I am delighted the Highlands of Scotland has such a strong conviction to educating the young and to hosting such competitions. I have been made to feel very much at home in Scotland by the warm welcome and hospitality shown to me. I look forward to spending a lot of time in this marvellous country."

Nominations are now being invited for the Young Highland Chef 2011, organised by the Burghfield training hotel in Dornoch, and the Albert Roux Consultancy. Applicants will be invited to submit a three-course dinner menu for two people, with a budget of £15 per cover, which must contain mackerel in the starter, game in the main course and pear in the sweet. The menus will be judged on paper and successful applicants will be chosen to attend the heats on Sunday, September 4.

Eight chefs will then be picked to go forward to the final when prizes of £500, plus a week's work experience at Le Gavroche, £250 and £100 will be awarded for first, second and third places.

The finals will be held on October 24 and the judging panel includes Mr Roux and other top chefs inlcuding Glen Watson, Martin Wishart, Andrew Fairlie, Steven Docherty, Brian Maule and Derek Johnstone, as well as last year's winner Fiona Murray, from Helmsdale.

Burghfield House will host the heats and the final. Further information is available at http://www.northhighland.ac.uk/eventdetails.aspx?ind=258

Source: John O'Groats Journal