Search for UK’s Game Chef of the Year begins

Game Chef of the Year will launch their annual search for the UK’s best professional game chef on the Glorious Twelfth.

As one of the UK’s main game suppliers, Braehead Foods have been running the competition for four years now and it is once again supported by The Staff Canteen and Highland Game.

The competition will involve a five-month search to find the best upcoming, professional game chef in the UK. Contestants will be challenged to cook up fresh, innovative dishes using some of the finest game produce the UK has to offer.

Managing Director of Braehead Foods, Craig Stevenson says: "the competition has been running for many years now and each year the number and quality of entries exceeds our expectations. We want the chefs who are working and creating delicious recipes using game meats across the UK to be recognised for what they do."

Last years top prize was claimed by Tom Van Zeller of Van Zeller Restaurants in Harrogate with Daniel Bland of The Wheatsheaf Inn, Doddington and Jonathan Cook of Greywall’s Hotel in Edinburgh finishing as runners up.

Tom’s winning dishes were wigeon with celeriac remoulade, apple and hazelnut, followed by loin of hare with choucroute, baby turnips and beetroot for his main.

This year will see the launch of the first semi finals which shows how significantly the competition has grown. A semi final will take place in Scotland and England with 10 semi-finalists in each country. The top 10 finalists will then compete in the grand final where they will have the chance to cook their dishes for a panel of judges including Paul Gayler, Tom Kitchin and Dominic Jack.

The overall winner will receive a once in a lifetime trip to Sweden where they will hunt wild boar, courtesy of Highland Game.

Entries can be made online at www.braeheadfoods.co.uk/gamechef from Tuesday 12th August and you can remain up to date on Facebook.com/GameChefOfTheYear and on Twitter @GameChefOfYear