Search is on for young chef to be mentored in Champagne pairing

A new competition has been launched to encourage chefs to more confidently participate in Champagne pairing with their dishes. 

The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC) is searching for a young chef to experience the wines judged at the competition while being mentored by Roger Jones, who held a Michelin star for 12 years at the Harrow at Little Bedwyn.

The winner of the CSWWC Young Chef Award will stay at Goodnestone Park in Kent for the duration of the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships, assisting Roger Jones and learning about the Champagne being judged. 

Tom Stevenson, founder and chair of the CSWWC, said he was keen to engage with young chefs and cookery students to help them develop in-depth knowledge of wine to assist when pairing.

He added: “Even those who do know something about wine fail to realise just how useful the attributes of Champagne and other sparkling wines are in partnering food. There is also a concerning misconception that a wine should complement the primary ingredient, such as chicken or beef, when it should in fact be the dominant flavour.

“The CSWWC would like to encourage a new generation of chefs to study wine so that they can participate in both sides of the pairing process, rather than be reliant on the sommelier for the wine input.”

Those keen to enter are required to write a 1,000-word article on how useful Champagne and other sparkling wines are at the table, and what sort of dishes best accompany the different styles.

The winner will spend 12 days being mentored by Roger Jones at Goodnestone Park as well as taking on kitchen porter duties and assisting in the preparation of tastings for the judges. 

Stevenson said: “It will not be a holiday, but we are a happy crew and you will enjoy the experience, plus you get to enjoy 12 nights at the historic Goodnestone Park, where Jane Austen often stayed. You will sleep in one of its sumptuous beds and join us at every dinner, which you will have helped to produce, and learn about the fabulous wines we will be drinking.”

Entries should be emailed to rachel@cswwc.com by 31 March 2025.