Call for entries to PPT contest
Entries are being sought for the UK heat of this year's Prix Pierre Taittinger (PPT) competition, the winner of which will go on to represent the country in the prestigious international final to be held in Paris on 14 November.
The competition is open to chefs between the ages of 24 and 39 working in restaurants open to the public, who have a minimum of eight years of professional experience behind them. Past national winners include this year's chairman of judges, Paul Gayler, executive chef of London's Lanesborough hotel, who represented the UK in the grand finals of 1979 and 1981.
This year, prospective competitors are being asked to submit the recipe of a dish on their establishment's menu centred on fillet of beef. This will be subjected to paper judging (closing on 1 September), following which a total of eight chefs will be selected to take part in a cook-off at Westminster College, London, on 11 October.
"We want to demystify the PPT, make it seem less daunting to chefs, and asking for a restaurant dish makes it more relevant to everyday work," said Gayler. "We've got the talent to win the international PPT in this country. We've just got to bring it into the competition."
Further details: Justin Llewelyn, Champagne Taittinger. Tel: 01529 241304. Paul Gayler: 020 7333 7009.