The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts' Annual Awards of Excellence 2018 open for entries

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts is calling for entries for the Annual Awards of Excellence 2018.

 

Applicants must currently be working full-time in the UK as a chef or waiter and were aged between 20 and 26 on 31 December 2017.

 

To enter, click here to fill out the application form. Entries close on 31 January.

 

The Annual Awards of Excellence began in 1983 and since then over 550 young professionals have won the award.

 

In last year's awards, candidates had to attain a score of over 70% in the set tasks. Kitchen finalists had four hours to produce four portions of a starter, using ingredients from a mystery box; four portions of a veal dish plated on a flat with three garnishes and a sauce; and a modern interpretation of a chocolate and orange dessert.

 

Pastry finalists were given five-and-a-half hours to produce a decorated showpiece croquembouche of classical or freestyle shape; two Linzer tortes; and four portions of hot plated seasonal fruit soufflé.

 

Service finalists were required to decant and describe wines to the judging panel, as well as set up and serve a three-course meal with wines and liqueurs to a table of two guest judges.

 

Last year the winners were:

 

RACA Young Chef of the Year: Joel Gueller, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire

 

RACA Young Pastry Chef of the Year: Polly Chan, Yauatcha, London

 

RACA Young Waiter of the Year: Alexander Macleod, the Balmoral hotel, Edinburgh

 

KITCHEN

• Jack Croft, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
• Ruth Hansom, the Ritz London
• Elly Wentworth, Lucknam Park hotel

 

PASTRY

• Hannah Bagshaw, Hakkasan
• Ethan Flack, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Irish Hacon, the Langham hotel
• Naomi Longfield, Hakkasan
• Faye Weatherburn, the Ritz London

 

SERVICE

• Rebecca Bauhofer, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles
• Ashley Best, the Ritz London
• Giuseppe Cola, the Ritz London
• Francesco De Santo, the Ritz London
• Lewis Dixon, Northcote Manor
• Daniel Dreiseitel, the Ritz London
• Emma Drummond, the Gleneagles hotel
• Melissa Fergus, the Fat Duck
• Laudy Gibba-Smith, L'Enclume
• Louis Gillibert, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
• Giuseppe Laboragine, Petrus
• Gerald Murati, the Ritz London
• Callum Rees, the Gleneagles hotel
• Gabriele Sorrentino, the Ritz London
• Dimitar Tanev, the French by Simon Rogan
• Laura Vernet, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons

 

RACA Annual Awards of Excellence overall winners revealed >>

 

Annual Awards of Excellence 2016 open for entries >>

 

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