UCB hosts Roux Scholarship regional final

University College Birmingham hosted a regional final of the prestigious Roux Scholarship 2014.

Of this year’s 18 regional finalists, the UCB kitchens were used by six of them as they prepared their two-course meal for the judges: Alain Roux, Steve Love (Roux Scholar 1997), and Sat Bains (Roux Scholar 1999). The other finalists were cooking simultaneously at the University of West London, Ealing.

The chefs were tasked with preparing a main course of their own choosing. However, to complicate things, they must create their dessert from a ‘mystery box’ of ingredients given to them on the day. Each competitor had 2 ½ hours to cook their dishes before the judges assessed them on taste, style, balance of creativity and practicality in the finished dish.

Alain Roux, Roux Scholarship judge, said “It was great to see so many imaginative and creative recipes. I was delighted to see some classic preparation and cooking methods used as well as some modern approaches.”

Of the eighteen chefs, six of them were selected to go through to the national final. There were two winners from the Birmingham final: Richard Pascoe from Oulton Hall, West Yorkshire, and Tom Barnes from L’Enclume Restaurant, Cumbria.

The two winners agreed that the kitchen facilities were top-notch. “The equipment at UCB was excellent – I had everything I needed. It was a good kitchen to work in,” said regional winner Tom Barnes.

The national final will take place at Westminster Kingsway College in London. The 2014 Roux Scholar will be announced the same evening.