Battle of the chefs heads to Spain

Foods from Spain is inviting up-and-coming student chefs to design a meal using Spanish fruits - and win a working break in Spain at El Bulli, voted the world’s best restaurant.

The Spanish Young Chef of the Year competition is open to students between the ages of 17 and 23 with a proven interest in cooking. It aims to promote the use of seasonal Spanish fresh produce, and other Spanish ingredients, in the catering sector.

Entrants must design a three-course meal for four covers, using Spanish fruits in each course, supplying details of ingredients, method, and a colour photograph of each dish.

They must use at least one fruit from one of the following pairs of ingredients each of their courses: strawberries and raspberries; Picota cherries and plums; and persimmon and cherimoya. They are also encouraged to use additional Spanish ingredients.

The competition will be judged by a small panel in two stages, a paper-based first round, followed by a cook-off in London in November with eight successful finalists. The winning competitor will receive the title of Foods from Spain Spanish Young Chef of the Year 2008, and the prestigious work placement at El Bulli, which was named Best Restaurant in the World for the last three years by Restaurant magazine.

Entry packs have been sent to 1,250 contacts in the leading catering colleges in Britain. The closing date for round one of the Spanish Young Chef of the Year competition is October 10, 2008, while the cook-off final will take place in November.

The Foods from Spain Spanish Young Chef of the Year competition is part of Foods from Spain’s 2008 campaign to promote Spanish fresh produce.