Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence 2022 open for entries

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts is now accepting entries for the Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE) 2022.

Applicants must be working full-time in the UK as a chef, pastry chef or waiter and should be aged between 20 and 26 at the close of entries on 4 February 2022.

Since it began in 1983, more than 650 young professionals have won the award, which is an examination rather than a competition; all or none of the candidates can achieve the award depending on their ability to attain the standard of excellence set by the judges. All those who successfully reach this standard will win the AAE.

In addition, the winning candidate who scores the highest marks in each section will be named the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter of the Year 2022.

Chefs can be tested on a variety of food preparation and cookery tasks, while pastry chefs will be expected to demonstrate the ability to work with different materials including detailed chocolate and sugar work.

Waiters will be tested on their knowledge and skills including product knowledge, technical service skills, interpersonal skills and teamwork.

Selection will be based on written entries and successful candidates will go forward to regional quarter-finals in February, semi-finals in March/April and finals in May/June 2022 where they will be tested on a wide range of classical skills.

Judges will include Jason Atherton, John Williams, Martyn Nail, Hywel Jones, Yolande Stanley, Sarah Hartnett, Sergio Rebecchi and John Cousins.

Prizes will include a Savoy Educational Trust £2,000 bursary which will take the form of an educational trip, and work experience at the Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social in London and the three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire.

All service semi-finalists and finalists will also be invited to direct entry to the Gold Service Scholarship, while the Young Chef of the Year will gain automatic entry to the final of the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Young National Chef of the Year.

Candidates can enter here.