Entries open for Roux Scholarship 2025

Entries have opened for the Roux Scholarship 2025, which is taking submissions from UK-resident chefs aged 22 to 29.

This year’s applicants will be required to create a recipe for four people consisting of the following:

• Two whole dayboat Cornish red gurnards each weighing anywhere between 700g-900g (maximum 1kg)
• 600g of live St Austell deep-sea mussels
• Some fresh (or dried) red dulse seaweed, together with two simple or composed garnishes/accompaniments
• One garnish/accompaniment must include parsnip and the other can be the chef’s choice. One of these can be served separately, if preferred
• A sauce must accompany the dish.

The deadline for entries is midnight on Monday 20 January 2025.

Chefs will be able to submit the recipes via the online application system following registration.

The honorary president of judges will be announced on 11 November.

Further details of the application process can be found here.

Chairman Alain Roux said: “With this challenge, we’re celebrating the great British seaside with some superb yet affordable ingredients; all are highly versatile, seasonal and sustainable. 

“The trick will be to carefully balance the delicate, distinct, clean flavours of the gurnard and mussels with the earthy, sweet parsnip and seemingly more exotic red dulse. We’re looking to be inspired and delighted by some delicious, creative dishes.”

Chairman Michel Roux added: “Gurnard is such a wonderful fish to cook with. Its meaty, firm texture means it can handle bold flavours and different styles of cooking. Mussels, parsnips and red dulce open up a kaleidoscope of possibilities to accompany it.”

It comes after the Roux family recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Roux Scholarship at the Dorchester in London.

Guests included chefs Raymond Blanc, Tom Kerridge, Claude Bosi, Simon Rogan and Stephen McLaughlin, as well as restaurant critics Jay Rayner and Richard Vines.

The scholarship was established by the Roux brothers to enable a new generation of chefs from Britain to train in renowned restaurants across the world.

What is the timeline for the 2025 Roux Scholarship?

20 January 2025: Deadline for applications.

6 March 2025: Regional finalists compete, each cooking their written recipe, plus a mystery basket dessert recipe challenge at University College Birmingham and University of West London.

14 April 2025: National final at the Waterside Inn Culinary School and the award ceremony at Coworth Park, Berkshire.  

Photo: Jodi Hinds