The Roux Scholarship has announced it's 2023 regional finalists

The Roux Scholarship has announced it’s 2023 regional finalists ahead of the upcoming regional finals set to take place on 9 March.

12 of the 18 finalists are new to the competition coming from a mixture of hotels, pubs, private member’s clubs and contract catering establishments in all four countries of the United Kingdom.

Following a push for more diversity at the launch of this year’s competition, with the Round Table discussion and publication of the White Paper, Women Chefs and The Roux Scholarship, the Roux Family were delighted to see an increase in applications from female chefs with four qualifying for the regional finals.

Co-chairman Michel Roux Jr said: “Standard in general of this year’s entries was superb and it was great to read so many recipes that showed very imaginative ways of using offal.”

This year’s challenge was to create a recipe with a striploin of dry-aged Heritage beef (without bones), weighing between 800g – 900g cooked and served either whole or in multiple cuts. Competitors were asked to use one beef offal (not veal) ingredient, either heart, tongue, or kidney; together plated with two simple or composed garnishes/accompaniments.

Competing in London (part 1):
Nicole Benham-Corlette, Boathouse 4 Restaurant, Portsmouth
Aaron Blais, The Ritz, London
Jack Cannell, The Tytherleigh Arms, Axminster
Ben Champkin, The Newt, Somerset
Harry Donnelly,The RAF Club, London
Oliver Dovey, Baxterstorey, London pic.twitter.com/uiz43amQ07

— Roux Scholarship (@RouxScholarship) February 23, 2023

Commenting on the announcement, the competition’s co-chairman Alain Roux said: “It’s great to see that our regional finalists come from all over the UK and a variety of different establishments. Regarding the recipes, I'm pleased to see so many chefs choose to cook the ox heart as part of their recipes, I really like that ingredient. In general, there was a really high standard and I can’t wait to taste everything.”

Celebrity Chef and Roux Scholarship Judge James Martin said: “Speaking with the other judges, it was clear that there were certain recipes that really did stand out for all of us. And that’s great because we don’t know the name, we don’t know where they work. All we get given is a number, and it’s exciting to find out at the end, once they’re all chosen, who they all are.”

The 18 finalists will compete in two regional finals which will be held simultaneously on Thursday 9th March 2023 at University College Birmingham and University of West London, Ealing.

CHEFS COMPETING IN LONDON

Nicole Benham-Corlette, Boathouse 4 Restaurant, Portsmouth

Aaron Blais, The Ritz, London

Jack Cannell, The Tytherleigh Arms, Axminster

Ben Champkin, The Newt, Somerset

Harry Donnelly, The RAF Club, London

Oliver Dovey, Baxterstorey, London

Sam Lomas, Glebe House, Devon

Subhan Malik, The Beaumonth Hotel, London

Lucila Mattiauda, Seven Park Place by William Drabble, London

April Lily Partridge, The Ledbury, London

Ryan Porter, The Double Red Duke, Cotswolds

Yogesh Singh Yadav, The May Fair, London

CHEFS COMPETING IN BIRMINGHAM

Christopher Clarke, Core by Clare Smyth, London

Max Davies, Aizle, Edinburgh

Ruth Hansom, Swinton Estate, North Yorkshire

Steven Newton Coast Restaurant, Saundersfoot, Wales

Alexander Rothnie, L'Enclume, Cumbria

Dillon Smyth, Baloo Inns Ltd, Newtownards, Northern Ireland

 

 

 

 

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