The Brief
The National Chef of the Year brief is your essential guide to what you’ll need to create for this year’s competition. It outlines the expectations for your menu, as well as the key themes and focuses that the judges will be looking for. We strongly encourage all entrants to read the brief and NCOTY rules carefully. Not only does it define the rules of the challenge, but it also contains valuable hints, insights and tips that can help strengthen your approach. Understanding the brief in detail is one of the best ways to set yourself up for success as you begin developing your dishes.
What will you cook?
Starter
A celebration of seasonal autumn produce
Foraged and farmed mushrooms, vegetables and herbs married with Isle of Mull scallops.
Celebrate the best of British to create a starter dish which should include an Isle of Mull Scallops element to create a perfect marriage of flavour, texture and taste.
Sponsored Ingredients: Scallops in shell
All other ingredients: Supplied by competitor
Judges will focus on:
- Technical skill and flavour to deliver an elegant start to a 3-course menu.
- Utilisation of the fresh ingredients within the dish. ie. skills used, unnecessary waste, sourcing, provenance, sustainability of ingredients used.
Main course
A beef dish
A beef dish choosing from 1 cut of either Fillet, Sirloin or Ribeye served with veal sweetbreads suitably garnished and capable of being cooked and served within the 3 hour period. Primary Cut: Fillet, Sirloin, Ribeye – prepared, cooked on the day
Secondary Cut: Veal sweetbread – Finished and cooked on the day.
- Dish to include either beef fillet, sirloin or ribeye with your secondary element of Veal sweetbread.
- The dish to include Kuri squash as a main garnish.
- A potato dish to be served on the side – An additional pre-braised beef element can be used here also, at your discretion. The dish should be fully garnished and include a sauce.
Notes:
- Judges will want to see how the protein element is elevated using relevant complementary and seasonal ingredients, flavours, textures and techniques.
- No unnecessary prior preparation is permitted unless stated. All prime cooking on the day.
- Elements such as cleaning and basic prior preparation of beef and veal is permitted.
- Other elements e.g. braised beef item in potato garnish is permitted.
- We welcome all national and international cuisines to create a delicious main course.
- Prepared stocks and Jus – where used must be from the Essential Cuisine ranges. For further details on Essential Cuisine’s range of products click here.
Sponsored Ingredients:
- Australian Angus Pure – Beef Fillet, Sirloin, Ribeye
- Additional sponsored braising options (Short rib, Brisket, Cheek)
Dessert
A Chocolate Finale
Competitors are required to produce a brilliantly executed, delicious chocolate mille-feuille dessert with a seasonal fruit. The finished dessert is to be individually plated, fully garnished and presented to the competitors choice.
This is an opportunity to create a grand finale to a menu that demonstrates balance, visual appeal, personal innovation and great flavour.
- A fresh puff pastry can be premade but not rolled.
- Stocks, custard and sorbet bases can be premade.
Judges Notes:
- Competitors must showcase best use of the flavours of Valrhona Grand Cru chocolate within the dessert.
- Successful finalists will be required to provide evidence (photo/video) of puff pastry production prior to the final. (details will be shared once finalists announced)
- Consider all elements to create a perfect marriage and balance of dessert.
- While based around a classic dish, competitors are free to personalise the dish to showcase their own innovation.
- Judges will be looking for an inspiring dessert to complement the menu.
Sponsored product:
Valrhona Chocolate, premier cru range.
St Ewe Eggs
