Since its launch in 1984, the Roux Scholarship has become one of the most respected competitions in the hospitality industry. With previous winners including Andrew Fairlie, Sat Bains, Andre Garrett, and Simon Hulstone, the impact this competition has had in producing some of the biggest restaurant names is palpable.
It’s a life-changing opportunity for one upcoming chef, where the winner of the Roux Scholarship 2023 will receive either a two-month stage at a three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world, the option of a bespoke training programme tailored to their interests or up to £12,000. Not bad, if you ask us.
After the heated regional finals in London and Birmingham, the Roux family have announced the names of the six chefs who will compete for the title of Roux Scholar 2023 on 3 April 2023. These are Ben Champkin from The Newt, Somerset; Christopher Clarke from Core by Clare Smyth, London; Oliver Dovey, from Baxterstorey, London; Sam Lomas from Glebe House, Devon; and finally, April Lily Partridge from The Ledbury, London.
The regional finals were a high-pressure affair, with the eighteen chefs challenged to cook the recipe they submitted with their applications, which was not allowed to exceed the cost of £22 per person. This was blind judged on the 22nd of February by the impressive line-up of competition judgels, including Alain Roux, Michel Roux Jr, Brian Turner CBE and Rachel Humphrey. “It’s always very challenging and gut-wrenching for some", says chef and Michel Roux Jr, who was judging at the University of West London, "But even those who didn’t get through have left with a big smile on their faces and they can be very proud of what they achieved.”
The contestants had two and a half hours cooking time for the dish, alongside a dessert for four made using ingredients from a mystery box, unveiled on the day. This year’s mystery box dessert challenge was different from previous years, where the finalists were tasked with making a dessert with as many or as few ingredients from the 22 items as they liked, including strawberries, chocolate and even lager.
“This year’s mystery basket threw me a bit,” said national finalist Ben Champkin from the Newt, “It’s great to keep coming back and be challenged. I made a Paris-Brest with strawberries and crème diplomat. I’m looking forward to the final because I feel like it might allow me to just cook how I cook rather than to a recipe, which is where I struggle as I’m not overly classically trained.”
Chef Ben Champkin's dish which earned him a place in the national finals
Now the six finalists will compete for the esteemed title of Roux Scholar 2023 in the final, which takes place at Westminster Kingsway College in London on 3 April 2023. For this final, the stakes have been raised even higher, as the recipe details will be a complete mystery to the finalists until half an hour before the start of the competition, where they will have three hours to make a main dish to present to the judges.
The winner of the 2023 Roux Scholar will be announced at a prestigious award dinner at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, the same evening. The exclusive event will be attended by sponsors, judges and finalists.
Find out more at rouxscholarship.co.uk
