This policy outlines the prohibition of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the preparation, development, and submission of entries for the National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year competitions. The goal is to ensure that all entries reflect the authentic culinary skills, creativity, and effort of the participants.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to: 

• Maintain the integrity of The National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year competition by ensuring all entries are the original work of the participants. 
• Highlight and celebrate the creativity and culinary expertise of human participants. 
• Prohibit reliance on AI tools or systems in the creation of recipes, presentation ideas, or techniques.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all participants and submissions in The National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year competition, including recipe creation, ingredient selection, plating, and any related processes.

3. General Policy

3.1. Prohibition of AI Use

• The use of any AI tools, platforms, or technologies to aid in the creation, design, or execution of competition entries is strictly prohibited.
• This includes, but is not limited to:
  o AI-generated or AI-enhanced recipes.
  o AI tools for plating or food presentation ideas.
  o AI systems for optimizing ingredients, measurements, or cooking times.

3.2. Examples of Prohibited Tools

• Recipe generators powered by AI (e.g., ChatGPT, Chef Watson). 
• AI-driven food styling or plating design tools.
• Any applications or software using machine learning or automation to assist in culinary tasks.

4. Rules and Guidelines

4.1. Original Work Requirement

• All recipes, techniques, and presentations must be entirely the participant’s original work.
  
• Entries must reflect the participant’s personal culinary skills and creativity without external AI assistance.

5. Compliance and Enforcement

5.1. Monitoring

• Competition organisers may review submissions and processes to detect the use of AI technologies.
  
• Participants may be asked to explain or reproduce their recipes or techniques if necessary.

5.2. Penalties 

• Violations of this policy, including evidence of AI use, will result in immediate disqualification.
• Additional penalties, such as bans from future Craft Guild of Chef competitions, may be applied at the discretion of the organisers.

6. Ethical Considerations

• This policy ensures a fair and level playing field, emphasising human creativity and culinary expertise. 
• Adherence to these rules helps preserve the authenticity and spirit of the competition.

7. Amendments

The competition organisers reserve the right to revise this policy as needed. Participants will be informed of any updates before the competition begins.

8. Acknowledgment

By participating in the competition, entrants confirm their understanding of and compliance with this policy, affirming that no AI tools were used in the development or execution of their entries. For further inquiries, please contact the competition organisers at nationalchefoftheyear@365-events.co.uk