November 2018

UCB helps in search for latest Roux Scholar

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Details of a prestigious competition to find the next chef to follow in the footsteps of some of the country’s top culinary stars have been announced with the UCB kitchens once again being used to host one of the finals.

And not only will the winner of this year’s Roux Scholarship join a distinguished list including Sat Bains, Andrew Fairlie and Simon Hulstone, they will also have the chance to train with a leading chef for three months at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant anywhere in the world.

Founded in 1984 by brothers Michel and Albert Roux, the scholarship is open to ambitious chefs working full-time in any establishment from a village pub to a fine-dining restaurant as long as they have mastered a number of key skills including filleting fish, boning meat and making sweet and savoury souffles. They should also be capable of cooking under pressure and have ‘exquisite presentation skills’.

Michel Roux Jr, chairman of the judges, said: “To be a Roux Scholar you need to have what it takes to reach the top, that’s a given, but many will be surprised to see they have the majority of these skills in their repertoire already.”

Entries can be registered at the Roux Scholarship website from Monday 12 November until the end of January when 18 chefs will be selected to take part in two regional finals – in London and here at UCB.

John Penn, Assistant Dean at UCB’s College of Food, said the link with the competition went back a long way.

He said: “The regional Roux Scholarship is something we have hosted here now for many years and helps to maintain a very healthy relationship with the scholarship and Roux family.

“A few of our students will be given the opportunity to help out in the regional final and see the standards expected. We are also delighted that some of these prestigious chefs are able to give masterclasses and talks to our students as well as offer career opportunities.”

The regional finals take place on Thursday 14 March with the final and awards ceremony taking place on Monday 1 April.

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