College Team Challenge for Young Chefs
A dynamic and inspiring competition designed to bring together the next generation of culinary talent. Young chefs will collaborate and compete, sharpening their skills, sharing their knowledge, and building lasting connections within the hospitality industry. This challenge fosters teamwork, creativity, and professional growth—celebrating both individual excellence and collective achievement.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Colleges are invited to enter a three-person team made up of two chefs & one front of house all of whom must be 25 years old or under on 25th March 2026.
Chefs
Each chef student will have to learn and practice two pre-determined skills then on the day each chef will have to complete one of these skills live. A mystery 3rd skills test will be revealed on the day which both chef students must complete to test their initiative and learning. This will be a 15-minute knife-based challenge and ingredients for this task will be provided.
Front of House
This student will have to complete 2 Skills Tests – Napkin Folding of 2 different folds with table set up and Mocktail Mixology for four covers – two for guests and two for judges. Judges will be looking for a Scottish themed mocktail with a background story to be explained to guests whilst serving.
HOW DO I ENTER?
To enter this competition in the first instance colleges must submit a two-course menu suitable for a light lunch which showcases seasonal and sustainable Scottish produce. The menu must include flat fish, scallops and chicken as the main ingredients. The remainder of the menu composition is up to the students. All ingredients and equipment must be provided by the individual teams. The first stage is paper judged. The Scottish Chefs Culinary Committee will then select four colleges to compete in the final. Please send entries to scottishchefs@gmail.com
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
£20.00 per team. This is non-refundable even if unsuccessful to the final.
The winning team and college lecturer will win a culinary educational trip to London.
T&Cs
Timing will be 90 minutes cooking time – including 30 minutes set up
The draw for task skills will take place on the day of competition
Skills to be shown:
- Task 1 – 20 minutes – 1 flat fish and 4 fresh scallops to be filleted and the scallops deshelled & cleaned. This will form the base for your starter. The judges are looking for clean filleting and care of produce
- Task 2 – 25 minutes – 1 whole chicken to be de-boned including legs boned for stuffing, Judges are looking for skilful and clean filleting, precision boning and careful use of the product
- Task 3 – 15 minutes – Judges task – an initiative skills test to be revealed on the day
Meal Preparation
- Cooking time allowed is 90 minutes
- Prepare the 2-course meal for four covers, two will be served to guests and two will be for the judges tasting
- Starter – Judges will be looking for skills in sauce-making & appropriate garnishing
- Main course – Judges will be looking for sauce-making using the bones, 1 potato garnish, 2 vegetable garnishes, sauce & appropriate garnish
- All ingredients, equipment, and plates must be provided by the competing team
- Permitted mise en place: Washed and peeled vegetables and fruit, not cut or shaped
- Weighted ingredients: All protein, i.e. fish, meat, must be on the bone
- Pastry permitted – uncooked puff pastry
- All ingredients MUST be provided by the competitors
- Menus with a detailed recipes MUST be provided, failing to do so will result in a 5% deduction on the final mark
AWARDS
Awards will be made to the standard achieved. Where a standard is not reached, no award will be made.
- Gold Award: 90% or more
- Silver Award: 80% – 89%
- Bronze Award: 70% – 79%
- Certificate of Merit: 55% – 69%
- There will also be a hygiene award for the best team who demonstrates the best hygiene practices
Judges will mark on the following criteria:
- Presentation and content of your submitted entry
- Seasonality, sustainability, provenance, working methods, professional techniques, modern culinary skills, hygiene practices and kitchen management, timing, balance of textures and flavours
- There is also a 5% additional mark for innovation
LIVE COOKING
Valrhona Chocolate Dessert
45 minutes will be given to produce 4 portions of a HOT plated dessert of their choice. The focus is on creativity, presentation and flavour combinations. The dessert must include an ice cream or a sorbet and have a suitable garnish. There will be a fan assisted oven and refrigeration available along with a freezer. The chocolate will be provided by Valrhona. Ice cream bases and sorbet syrups may be pre made but churned on site. Puff, sweet and short pastry may be brought in but not rolled or shaped.
WHAT’S ON:
