Are you up to the challenge?

A college can enter as many teams as it wishes.

Competition judges are from organisations and associations including our official partner the Craft Guild of Chefs, the Welsh Culinary Association, and the Federation of Chefs Scotland. All judges are independent and all work to a standardised judging format.

Stage 1 – Entry
Teams must submit a paper entry form, which will include details of their three-course, four-cover menu, the ingredients and methodology used for each course and the associated costs of each element which must total a maximum of £8 for all four covers. Click here to enter the 2018/2019 Challenge today!

Stage 2 – Paper Judging
Entries will be ‘paper judged’ by a panel of judges who will be looking to see whether a team’s menu is balanced and achievable to cook within the 1 hour time limit. Teams will also be judged on their interpretation of the ‘use of local/regional ingredients, processes, techniques, culinary skills and ability to cost a menu.

Stage 3 – Regional Heats
The short listed teams will compete in live cook offs at each regional heat. Teams will be marked by a panel of judges against a number of criteria including taste, presentation, teamwork, seasoning, culinary skills, working method, timing and the overall balance of the menu. The winning team from each of the regional heats along with a ‘Best Runner Up’ from across all the heats will then be invited to take part in the live competition final. The ‘Best Runner Up’ will be announced on completion of all the regional heats.

Stage 4 – Competition Final
The eight qualifying teams will compete in a live cook off at the competition final, which will be held at ScotHot, London. The teams will be marked by a panel of judges against a number of criteria including taste, presentation, teamwork, seasoning, culinary skills, working method, timing and the overall balance of the menu. The team with the best overall mark will be crowned the 2018/2019 Country Range Student Chef Challenge winner.

Heats will be held at a college that has the appropriate facilities and is closest, where possible, to the majority of the other regional heat participants. Exact venues, dates and times are still to be confirmed.

For the 2018/2019 competition, the final will be held at ScotHot, on the 13th March 2019

All ingredients and specialist equipment will need to be supplied by the college for both the regional heats and competition final.  If you would like to use Country Range brand ingredients to practice with and/or to include within your menu then please feel free to contact one of the exclusive distributor member wholesalers of the Country Range Group.

All mise-en-place will be checked during the 1 hour 30 minutes cooking time. Stocks, glazes, puff and filo pastry and peeled (not cut) vegetables are allowed. Competition judges will be looking for students to demonstrate their skills so wherever possible all butchery and filleting should be undertaken during the cooking time.

Click here to locate your nearest wholesaler