M Restaurants and Bookatable launch Young Chef of the Year 2019 competition

M Restaurant's Young Chef of the Year competition has launched its search for the for the UK's finest culinary rising star.

The competition, launched in collaboration with Bookatable by Michelin, will see chefs aged 29 or under cook off against each other to win a trip with sponsors Pommery to the Champagne region of France to explore their vineyards.

To enter, competitors must submit a four-course menu priced at £45 per head, which represents their style, while also demonstrating a zero-waste philosophy and ethical sourcing of produce.

The top 50 entrants will then be invited to present a dish to a judging panel of notable industry names with the London heats held on 15 May at M Victoria and northern heats at Gaucho Manchester/Edinburgh on 22 May.

From the heats 15 chefs will be selected to host a pop-up restaurant for one evening in July at the 40-cover M Raw, in M Restaurant Victoria.

Alongside M's culinary director, Michael Reid, and founder and chief executive, Martin Williams, the line-up of judges will include chefs Adam Handling and James Knappett; social media influencer Felicity Spector; journalist David Ellis and The Caterer's editor Chris Gamm. The panel will determine 50% of the competitors score, with the remaining 50% being given by diners.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony held at M Victoria on 4 September. Additional prizes will be presented for the runner up, the most sustainable menu and the best marketing campaign.

Bookatable's chief executive Michel Cassius added: "We're delighted to be working with M Restaurants again to find the UK's brightest new chef. Bookatable is passionate about delivering memorable dining experiences and helping to identify the next wave of talent is crucial to that."

The competition will also include an exclusive charity evening on 27 July with the Clink charity, which will see its graduates run both the kitchen and service of the M Raw restaurant, with all profits going to the charity.

Last year's winner was Hamish Pearce of Pidgin in Hackney, east London, (pictured, right with Reid). To enter, click here.

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