The KNORR Student Chef of the Year, now its 19th year, is open to the very best student chefs from culinary colleges across the island of Ireland.
The theme of this year’s competition is ‘The Future of Irish Cuisine’ and is focused on celebrating Irish ingredients and cooking methods. The competition will be judged by a panel comprising Unilever Food Solutions’ business development chef, Mark McCarthy, joined by special guest judge and World Young Chef of the Year, Mark Moriarty, and Michael Gantly, chef lecturer at Athlone Institute of Technology.
This year students are being challenged to create a starter using sustainable Irish seafood and a main course celebrating Irish venison. Students must demonstrate an understanding of the challenges of culinary sustainability, incorporating food waste management and allergen awareness.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s competition, Mark McCarthy said: “KNORR Student Chef is a brilliant opportunity for talented young chefs to showcase their culinary skills and demonstrate their innate creativity in front of leading food professionals. Irish diners are becoming much more adventurous in their food taste, but they are also becoming more appreciative of where their food comes from, making this year’s challenge particularly pertinent. I’m excited about seeing the diversity and skills on show by our next generation of master chefs.”
Besides the Student Chef of the Year title, the winner will receive a great culinary experience in Copenhagen. On the first night, the winner will dine in style at Relae, the world’s leading sustainable restaurant, and the second night will have them dining in Amass. They will also get an opportunity to take a unique food tour of Copenhagen, the ultimate way to experience the best of Danish food and culture from a local’s perspective.
The competition is open to second year students from participating catering colleges, training centres, and Institutes of Technology. Deadline for entries is Friday, January 22, 2016. The winning entrant from each participating college will travel to Athlone Institute of Technology for the KNORR Student Chef of the Year final on Tuesday, February 9, 2016.
For more information, see www.unileverfoodsolutions.ie/knorrstudentchef
