Entries are now open to find the National Chef of the Year 2017 as the prestigious competition enters its 44th year.

To enter budding chefs have to be 24 years or older and working in the UK or overseas from the hospitality sector including hotels, restaurants, pubs, contract catering, fine dining private and public sectors.

>>> Enter here

Paper applications need to be submitted by Friday, 8 April, 2016. For the first stage competitors are asked to produce a creative lunch menu for two guests that could be cooked-up within two hours. The menu must consist of a risotto starter of the competitor’s choice; a main course using a whole chicken, with appropriate accompaniments and a choux pastry dessert of choice. Semi-finalists will be revealed on 24 May with this year’s heats taking place at Sheffield College on Tuesday, 14 June, and at Le Cordon Bleu in London on Wednesday, 22 June. The final 10 will then go head-to-head at the Restaurant Show on Tuesday, 4 October.

The winning chef will receive a wide range of prizes including a culinary trip to one of the world’s top restaurants, stagiaire opportunities, equipment from sponsors and chocolate workshops. They will also go on to be part of the National Chef of the Year 'Hall of Fame'.

>>>Read about last year's National Chef of the Year winner, Larry Jayasekara here

David Mulcahy, Vice-President of the Craft Guild of Chefs and organiser of the National Chef of the Year competition, said: “I always feel a sense of excitement on launch day as the brief for this year’s competition is unveiled and the buzz about the competition begins once again. Whether you have entered this competition before or are considering putting your skills to the ultimate challenge for the first time, I’d recommend entering. You just never know how far it could take you. This competition is not based on a chef’s personality or past triumphs but simply on culinary skills, interpretation of the ingredients and what chefs can create when the heat is really on.”

Clare Smyth MBE, Chair of Judges, said: “Being known as the National Chef of the Year really is career changing. I want to encourage chefs from across all sectors to take part as it’s a fantastic platform to get your name out there. I am proud to be involved in the most respected culinary competition in the UK. We’ve created a really interesting brief for this year and I’m looking forward to seeing the menus that come in over the next few months.”

Last year’s winner, Larry Jayasekara, sous chef at Gordon Ramsay Holdings will never forget the moment he was announced as National Chef of the Year 2016. He said “It’s something I’ve always wanted and a dream I was never going to give up on. Simply having the opportunity for your food to be sampled by some of the UK’s most well-respected judges is incredible. However, nothing can beat that moment when you are standing in a line with some of the most talented and up and coming chefs in the UK and it’s you that is declared as the winner. Good luck to all the chefs entering this year, whatever stage you get to you won’t regret being part of this experience.”

Past winners include Gordon Ramsay, Alyn Williams and Mark Sargeant. Paper applications need to be submitted via the new National Chef of the Year website