The Brief
The Young National Chef of the Year brief is your essential guide to what competitors will 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 YNCOTY 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 starter using fresh salmon
Chefs are required to create a starter using fresh Salmon, which is to be inspired by Asian flavours/aromats and served with a consommé.
Competitors are required to use the skin, head, trim, and/or bones of the salmon to produce said consommé.
This dish is about combining simplicity, technique and skill to showcase and highlight the flavour of the Salmon.
Sponsored Ingredients: Fish will be provided by sponsor.
Additional items from list of sponsors as appropriate.
All other ingredients: Supplied by competitor
Judges Notes:
- Focus on simplicity, flavour, technique and skill.
- Do not over complicate your dish.
- Pack flavour into your consommé.
Main course
A dish using venison loin and one additional cut of your choice
Suitably garnished showcasing your innovative take on creating a secondary venison element – whether it is its offal, haunch, or a preparation eg a sausage, farce, tartare, ragout etc.
The dish should show 1 potato garnish and 1 vegetable garnish used in at least two different ways, and a British seasonal fruit element e.g. apple, pear, fig, quince, medlar, elderberries.
Finally, a rich sauce using the venison trim and stock from the Bonemasters range.
IMS Butchers will provide a Venison Loin for the final issued to competitors in advance within set up preparation time. Preparation time allowed ahead of competition starting for basic butchery.
Bonemasters will provide a selection of stocks (provided in advance and additional product available on the day of the final).
Additional Sponsor product: St Ewe Eggs, Sodiaal Butter available to use.
Competitors will have the opportunity to see and discuss these products on the mentor day.
Please note that the exact specification of the fish/meat will be issued once finalists are announced.
(A full specification will be available following the mentor day. All competitors will be advised accordingly).
Judges Notes:
- Chefs are encouraged to use their own cooking style.
- Pay close attention to butchery and cooking techniques.
- With the use of the vegetable garnish, ensure there is a clear difference between the preparations.
Dessert
A whole, baked egg custard tart.
Candidates are required to prepare and present a whole, baked egg custard tart. Where the finished dish will have a slice/wedge of tart presented.
Accompanied to competitors choice with a fruit based garnish using at least one Boiron puree product.
Judges Notes:
- Focus on the cooking and resting of your tart.
- Consider flavour and balance with regard to the garnish used.
- Mise en place allowed includes premade pastry (unrolled), unset egg custards and stock syrups. (see full list below)
- Garnish with simple, seasonal ingredient(s), do not over complicate, an egg custard tart is delicious on its own
Sponsored product:
The Boiron range of purees.
Sodiaal butter and St Ewe Eggs are sponsored products available following mentor day to finalists.
