This year we hosted 12 teams of chefs from the industry. 6 teams competed at one time over two stages and comprised of 2 chefs per company of any age, gender or level in the kitchen.
The Food
The style of cooking this year took a completely new angle to bring the style of the competition up to date with the current food scene in the UK. We were also mindful of reducing food waste as much as we can as these types of competitions are typically very wasteful.
The teams needed to cook 2 main course dishes (2 portions of each) one for tasting and one for presenting.
The First Dish
This dish had to be cooked using the main protein element as the star of the dish and must be cooked using live fire. There were Kamado Joes and Mibrasa Hibachi grills available along with an induction hob to achieve this. The protein item was revealed to the teams taking part, 2 weeks in advance of the competition to allow time to plan out their dishes. Garnish for this dish is up to the teams and was to be prepared in advance of the competition and had to be brought with them on the day. Garnish must include a carb, sauce, veg and an accompaniment.
The Second Dish
This dish was a mystery basket style dish and will only be revealed on the night of the competition. This was a plant-based dish using surplus veg from WasteKnot, plus a number of larder ingredients. At least one element of this dish was cooked using live fire and composition of the dish was completely down to the team on the night. Teams will be given 10 mins to review ingredients and plan out the dish before the competition starts.
The Rules
Any prep, plates or other equipment for both team members must fit into a standard sized suitcase.
Chefs must wear their own chef jackets (branded aprons will be provided on the night).
All teams will have 10 mins to set up their section before cooking starts. (The support team will maintain the fires up to this point).
Teams will then have 45 minutes to cook and present their 4 plates of food to the judges. This can be in any order they like.
Teams must then clean down their sections and leave them like they found them, or points will be deducted.
Kit
Teams will have a standard section set up with chopping boards, induction, pans etc. A Krono grill will be on each section. A Bamix hand blender is also to be shared with the other teams. The Kamado BBQ is in a shared area so teams must communicate and work well together to ensure all cooking needs are met. A communal larder will be on hand with basic ingredients, oil, vinegars, salt etc.
The Judging
Judging will take place throughout the competition and cover several factors, not just the food on the plate.
Winners will be announced on the night. Good luck and we look forward to seeing you there.
