Six National Finalists announced for The Roux Scholarship 2021
After the exciting regional finals in London and Birmingham, the Roux family announced the names of the six chefs who will compete for the title of Roux Scholar 2020/21 on 25th October 2021. The Roux Scholarship 2020/21 finalists were carefully chosen following two regional finals, which took place on Thursday 9th September at the University of West London, Ealing, and University College Birmingham.
Judging at the University of West London, Michel Roux Jr said “We’re happy to be back tasting some fabulous food and to finally see the chefs in action and taste the recipes we’ve sat on for the last 18 months.”
Also judging in London was internationally renowned Michelin-star chef, Clare Smyth, who said: “It’s so nice to see everyone back here, doing what we love. It’s such an important competition and our industry has had such a tough time, of course for business owners, but also for young people and those starting out on their careers have missed so much. It’s so good to give them this opportunity to compete again.”
Judging at the University of West London, Michel Roux Jr said “We’re happy to be back tasting some fabulous food and to finally see the chefs in action and taste the recipes we’ve sat on for the last 18 months.”
Also judging in London was internationally renowned Michelin-star chef, Clare Smyth, who said: “It’s so nice to see everyone back here, doing what we love. It’s such an important competition and our industry has had such a tough time, of course for business owners, but also for young people and those starting out on their careers have missed so much. It’s so good to give them this opportunity to compete again.”
Judging in at University College Birmingham, Alain Roux said: “When you work on a dish personally you tend to get carried away and I wonder if the competitors had eaten the finished dish, with all the necessary complements, with the sauce on the plate? Did they serve it to friends and family, or their customers to get feedback? In food, you never get 100% but the challenge is to get as many people as possible to like it and prove the dish works. For some of these dishes, the balance just wasn’t there.”
Former Roux Scholarship winner and current judge, Sat Bains said: “These guys have had an extended 18 months to practice but I thought we would have got a lot better quality. We can’t emphasise enough you have to nail the dish you’ve submitted. I’m really looking forward to the final, Bjorn Frantzén is coming over and the legacy of the Rouxs lives on; whoever wins has a really exciting career ahead of them!”
THIS YEAR’S FINALISTS ARE:
Ryan Baker, Maison Francois
Ben Champkin, The Newt, Somerset
Nathan Cornwell, The Barn at Moor Hall, Lancashire
Jonnie Ferguson, The Raby Hunt, County Durham
Curtis Tonge, The Forge, Chester
Oli Williamson, The Fat Duck, Bray
Former Roux Scholarship winner and current judge, Sat Bains said: “These guys have had an extended 18 months to practice but I thought we would have got a lot better quality. We can’t emphasise enough you have to nail the dish you’ve submitted. I’m really looking forward to the final, Bjorn Frantzén is coming over and the legacy of the Rouxs lives on; whoever wins has a really exciting career ahead of them!”
THIS YEAR’S FINALISTS ARE:
Ryan Baker, Maison Francois
Ben Champkin, The Newt, Somerset
Nathan Cornwell, The Barn at Moor Hall, Lancashire
Jonnie Ferguson, The Raby Hunt, County Durham
Curtis Tonge, The Forge, Chester
Oli Williamson, The Fat Duck, Bray
WHO ARE THE ROUX SCHOLARSHIP 2021 JUDGES?
In Birmingham: Alain Roux, Sat Bains (Roux Scholar 1999), Simon Hulstone (scholar 2003), Angela Hartnett.
In London: Michel Roux Jr, Brian Turner, Rachel Humphrey, André Garrett (Roux Scholar 2002), Clare Smyth.
In Birmingham: Alain Roux, Sat Bains (Roux Scholar 1999), Simon Hulstone (scholar 2003), Angela Hartnett.
In London: Michel Roux Jr, Brian Turner, Rachel Humphrey, André Garrett (Roux Scholar 2002), Clare Smyth.
THE CHALLENGE
This year’s challenge was to cook the recipe they submitted with their application, which uses one whole fresh gutted hake, weighing anywhere between 1.6kg – 1.8kg and 600g of live whole grooved carpet shell / palourde clams (ruditapes decussatus). They had to be plated together with two simple or composed garnishes/accompaniments. One of these had to include leeks and the other was a garnish/accompaniment of the applicant’s choice. One of these was allowed to be served separately if preferred and a sauce had to accompany the dish. The regional finalists had 2½ hrs to cook their dish, along with a dessert from a mystery box of ingredients given to them on the day. Chefs were permitted to make minor adjustments to their recipe on grounds of seasonality, as the ingredients were chosen with the original spring-time dates of the competition in mind.
THE 2021 MYSTERY BOX
The brief was to prepare a dessert for four people using the ingredients supplied. One ingredient could be omitted but at least 50% of the following ingredients had to be used:
30ml Grand Marnier liqueur
400ml whole milk
150g caster sugar
200g plain flour
100g unsalted butter
4 Mandarin oranges
4 medium-sized Granny Smith apples
80 g mixed orange and lemon candied peel
WHEN IS THE ROUX SCHOLARSHIP 2021 FINAL?
The six finalists will compete for the title of Roux Scholar 2020/21 in the final, which takes place at Westminster Kingsway College, London on 25th October. This time the recipe details will be a complete surprise; 30 minutes before the start of the competition the finalists will be given the recipe and ingredients for a main dish, either classic or modern and given up to three hours to prepare and present it to the judges.
Swedish three-star Michelin chef Björn Frantzén will join the panel of judges as Honorary President, alongside joint chairmen Alain and Michel Jr. They will be joined by Brian Turner, James Martin, Simon Hulstone, Rachel Humphrey and Angela Hartnett.
THE AWARDS DINNER
The 2020/21 Roux Scholar will be announced at a prestigious award dinner at the Vincent Rooms at Westminster Kingsway College, that same evening which will be cooked by the three most recent Roux Scholars, Spencer Metzger, Martin Carabott and Luke Selby, and the catering students of Westminster Kingsway College. The exclusive event will be attended by sponsors, judges and the finalists. The winner will receive up to £12,000, a three-month stage at a three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world, and a number of superb prizes from our sponsors.
As a loyal sponsor of The Roux Scholarship for many years, the team at Global Knives will be in attendance on the night and we will see the finalists and winner presented with an exceptional prize from the GLOBAL range. The winner will receive a Limited-Edition 10-Piece Chef’s Set including 8 deluxe knives and accessories, a leather apron and chef’s roll. They will also receive the MS-471 Global Minorsharp Whetstone Kit and GKS-210 Global Kitchen Shears.
The other finalists will receive a 5-Piece Chef’s Knife Rack Set which includes 5 beautiful Global classic knives with a magnetic knife rack.
Stay up to date with this year’s Roux Scholarship by visiting the Roux Scholarship website www.rouxscholarship.co.uk
This year’s challenge was to cook the recipe they submitted with their application, which uses one whole fresh gutted hake, weighing anywhere between 1.6kg – 1.8kg and 600g of live whole grooved carpet shell / palourde clams (ruditapes decussatus). They had to be plated together with two simple or composed garnishes/accompaniments. One of these had to include leeks and the other was a garnish/accompaniment of the applicant’s choice. One of these was allowed to be served separately if preferred and a sauce had to accompany the dish. The regional finalists had 2½ hrs to cook their dish, along with a dessert from a mystery box of ingredients given to them on the day. Chefs were permitted to make minor adjustments to their recipe on grounds of seasonality, as the ingredients were chosen with the original spring-time dates of the competition in mind.
THE 2021 MYSTERY BOX
The brief was to prepare a dessert for four people using the ingredients supplied. One ingredient could be omitted but at least 50% of the following ingredients had to be used:
30ml Grand Marnier liqueur
400ml whole milk
150g caster sugar
200g plain flour
100g unsalted butter
4 Mandarin oranges
4 medium-sized Granny Smith apples
80 g mixed orange and lemon candied peel
WHEN IS THE ROUX SCHOLARSHIP 2021 FINAL?
The six finalists will compete for the title of Roux Scholar 2020/21 in the final, which takes place at Westminster Kingsway College, London on 25th October. This time the recipe details will be a complete surprise; 30 minutes before the start of the competition the finalists will be given the recipe and ingredients for a main dish, either classic or modern and given up to three hours to prepare and present it to the judges.
Swedish three-star Michelin chef Björn Frantzén will join the panel of judges as Honorary President, alongside joint chairmen Alain and Michel Jr. They will be joined by Brian Turner, James Martin, Simon Hulstone, Rachel Humphrey and Angela Hartnett.
THE AWARDS DINNER
The 2020/21 Roux Scholar will be announced at a prestigious award dinner at the Vincent Rooms at Westminster Kingsway College, that same evening which will be cooked by the three most recent Roux Scholars, Spencer Metzger, Martin Carabott and Luke Selby, and the catering students of Westminster Kingsway College. The exclusive event will be attended by sponsors, judges and the finalists. The winner will receive up to £12,000, a three-month stage at a three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world, and a number of superb prizes from our sponsors.
As a loyal sponsor of The Roux Scholarship for many years, the team at Global Knives will be in attendance on the night and we will see the finalists and winner presented with an exceptional prize from the GLOBAL range. The winner will receive a Limited-Edition 10-Piece Chef’s Set including 8 deluxe knives and accessories, a leather apron and chef’s roll. They will also receive the MS-471 Global Minorsharp Whetstone Kit and GKS-210 Global Kitchen Shears.
The other finalists will receive a 5-Piece Chef’s Knife Rack Set which includes 5 beautiful Global classic knives with a magnetic knife rack.
Stay up to date with this year’s Roux Scholarship by visiting the Roux Scholarship website www.rouxscholarship.co.uk