Client: The Welsh Food Scholarship is an event that looks to encourage and give incentives to develop the culinary skills and talents of young working chefs in Wales, and to ensure that the awareness of local and national fresh produce is profiled to the public arena especially through the True Taste Branding.
Who enters? This scholarship is open to chefs under the age of 23 years already in employment or full-time catering education in Wales.
Requirement of competition To prepare a three-course meal using Welsh Produce, supplied as a mystery basket on the day.
How does the competition work?
Stage one – gaining entries
The competition entry form is designed, printed and mailed to potential entrants. Eligible chefs are invited to submit a paper entry using local and regional ingredients.
Stage two – Management of entries
All entries are received by mail and email. They are all data-captured.
A chaser email is sent for last minute entries.
Once the deadline date for entries is closed, judging packs are prepared and sent to judges.
Stage three - Judging
The entries are paper judged on competence and originality. Six chefs are chosen for the cook-off final, which for 2007 was held at the Marriott Hotel, Cardiff.
Stage four – the final cook-off
For the 2007 event, a six–station competition kitchen theatre was built in the main room of the Marriott, Cardiff. Sponsors were gained to support both prizes and the kitchen. The Welsh Food Scholarship was an all day event, with a small food and drink exhibition running alongside the final cook-off and celebrity demonstrations in the afternoon. The six finalists had to work with a selection of mystery Welsh ingredients and show individual flair. They were tested on preparation, craft skills, timing and presentation. A panel of high-profile industry chefs including Brian Turner, Martin Blunos, Bryn Williams, Chris and James Tanner and Hywel James judged the competition.
Stage five – the award ceremony
The awards were given out that evening during a black tie gala and awards dinner for 100 people.
