Andrew Jones, age 27, of Claridge’s, Mayfair, who beat off five other aspiring young chefs to win the National Final of the Roux Scholarship

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.” It certainly worked for Andrew Jones, age 27, of Claridge’s, Mayfair, who beat off five other aspiring young chefs to win the National Final of the Roux Scholarship and is now the 21st Roux Scholar. Andrew, who has been in the National final twice before, was bestowed with this highly esteemed title last night, in front of the crème de la crème of the food industry, at a glittering awards ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London. Runner up was 23 year old Adam Thomson of the Menzies Welcombe Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon.

A total of six chefs, selected from two regional finals, competed in the National Final.

Earlier in the day they each had just two hours to prepare and present their version, of a classic Escoffier recipe for “Ballotines of Poultry”. The kitchens at the Mandarin Oriental were ablaze with energy and tension as the chefs chopped and sliced vegetables and cooked the main dish, under the watchful eyes of the judges. Each chef was intent on the difficult task of achieving maximum effect with flavour and visual appeal, within the time and recipe constraints. “While it may be based on a classic dish, it is full of varying challenges to the chefs. The diverse flavours which can be extracted from the list of ingredients made it the perfect challenge for our finalists, and one which they certainly rose to.” explained Michel Roux.

Andrew Jones & Judges

“The look of dishes, the aromas coming from the garnish, the depth of the jus and the moistness and flavour of the stuffing made judging this dish a great pleasure.” Said Michel Roux. “Andrews was one of the best dishes we have seen in the history of the Roux Scholarship.”

Guests at the awards ceremony were treated to a special 21st Birthday celebration of the Roux Scholarship. The audience was addressed by Nick Rowe who, when managing director of Diners Club UK, conceived the original idea with Michel Roux for a competition to train the best of the UK’s young culinary talent. He was followed by Andrew Fairlie, the very first Roux Scholar, who regaled the audience with anecdotes about the early days of the competition.

As the 2004 Roux Scholar Andrew receives an impressive array of prizes including £2,500 cash, courtesy of the Savoy Educational Trust, and lots of educational travel. This includes up to three months training at a three Michelin-starred establishment in Europe; a trip to the Caribbean - courtesy of Celebrity Cruises - to learn about on-board cuisine; a visit to the cellars of Champagne Gosset at Aÿ and a trip to Milan to visit the Caffé Musetti roasting factory.

It doesn’t end there, as the Roux Scholar also wins Global Knives worth £1,000, two chefs jackets from Bragard – and magnums of both Champagne Gosset Grand Rosé and Grande Reserve to toast his success in style.

In addition to prize sponsors, the Roux Scholarship is supported by British Airways Inflight Service; L’Unico; and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.

Judging

The Roux Scholarship always attracts interest from every facet of the industry and is widely recognised as the most prestigious competition in the UK for young, experienced chefs aged between 22-30. Once a Roux Scholar, young chefs are mentored by the Roux family and join a network of other Roux Scholars who meet up regularly. The judging panel comprises some of the most celebrated names in the food arena and includes Michel and Albert Roux, Victor Ceserani, David Nicholls, Gary Rhodes, Rick Stein, Brian Turner and guest judge Jay Rayner. The panel is now augmented by the next generation of the Roux family with Alain Roux, of the Waterside Inn, and Michel Roux Junior, from Le Gavroche, joining their respective fathers.

Andrew Fairlie, now has his own, eponymous restaurant at the Gleneagles Hotel and has won a coveted Michelin star. Many other Roux Scholars have gone on to open their own restaurant and five have Michelin stars.

NATIONAL FINALISTS SELECTED FOR 2004 ROUX SCHOLARSHIP

After simultaneous regional cook offs, which took place on March 4 in Birmingham and London, the six national finalists have now been selected for this – the 21st - Roux Scholarship. The line up includes two previous national finalists: Andrew Jones of Claridge's and Michael Wilson from Watersreach Restaurant in Manchester. They will be joined by James Barber of The Carved Angel in Dartmouth, who reached the regional finals last year, Matthew Tomkinson from Ockenden Manor, where 1989 Roux Scholar Martin Hadden is executive chef, Adam Thomson of the Menzies Welcombe Hotel & Golf Course in Stratford-upon-Avon and last but by no means least, Nitin Kapoor of Las Iguanas in Bath.

According to Michel Roux, who judged at Westminster Kingsway College (with Victor Ceserani, Rick Stein and Brian Turner), the standard was good and competition particularly fierce. "We run the finals concurrently and the judges are constantly on the phone to update each other on progress and ensure they choose the top six for the National Finals.” He commented. “There is no guarantee that three will win through from each of the venues. Luckily we were unanimous and those selected showed an exceptional standard for this stage of the competition. What was also of great interest was the range of desserts made from our mystery box of ingredients, only divulged just before the cook off. This year’s ingredients list was short – just flaked almonds, caster sugar, dark chocolate, eggs and oranges, and we had an amazing array of creative and well prepared desserts. We had ice cream, sorbet, mousse, zabaglione, meringues, chocolate oranges pots and parfaits. The main course used shoulder of lamb and those chefs in particular who made it through to the National Finals, handled themselves well by presenting dishes that were beautifully cooked, moist, well balanced and tasty.“

Michel’s son Alain, who was chair of the judges at Birmingham College of Food (with Gary Rhodes, 1997 Roux Scholar Steve Love and Jay Rayner) said: “It was a really fascinating regional final – the interesting recipe variations for shoulder of lamb made judging more challenging perhaps than in other years – Gary commented that his judging skills were really put to the test in Birmingham by the variety and standard of entries.”

The regional finalists didn’t go home empty handed: they all received a knife from Global worth £40, a certificate signed by the judges and a cafetiere and coffee from L’Unico Caffé Musetti.

Those who have been selected for the national finals have already won themselves at least £500 cash, a bottle of Champagne Gosset Grande Reserve, two personalised chef’s jackets from Bragard, a year’s complimentary membership of the HCIMA, registration with the Hospitality Learning Network, courtesy of Hospitality & Leisure Manpower, and a free management study unit under the Ecarus Scheme, courtesy of the European Catering Association International, plus a set of Global knives worth £250.

The six finalists will compete at the National Final, which takes place at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park on March 29. The winner receives an impressive array of prizes including £2,500 cash, courtesy of the Savoy Educational Trust and lots of educational travel. This includes up to three months training at a three Michelin-starred establishment in Europe; a trip to the Caribbean - courtesy of Celebrity Cruises - to learn about on-board cuisine; a visit to the cellars of Champagne Gosset at Aÿ and a trip to Milan to visit the Caffé Musetti roasting factory.

It doesn’t end there, as the Roux Scholar also wins Global Knives worth £1,000, two chefs jackets from Bragard – and magnums of both Champagne Gosset Grand Rosé and Grande Reserve to toast their success in style.

In addition to prize sponsors, the Roux Scholarship is supported by British Airways Inflight Service; L’Unico; and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.

21ST ANNIVERSARY ROUX SCHOLARSHIP REGIONAL FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The judging panel for the Roux Scholarship has now convened and selected sixteen entrants to go through to the regional finals in Birmingham and London on March 4. This year’s line up of regional finalists includes: three past national finalists (Andrew Jones of Claridge’s, Steve Walpole from Westminster Kingsway College and Michael Wilson from Watersreach in Manchester); four past regional finalists (James Barber from The Carved Angel in Dartmouth, Garry McMeckan of McNulty’s in Edinburgh , Christopher Bratt-Rose of Bratz Restaurant in Lichfield and Jaqueline Jenkinson from the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the NEC), two from establishments which are less than a year old and one from the brigade of a Roux Scholar, Matthew Tomkinson of Ockenden Manor, which is part of Historic Sussex Hotels, where Martin Hadden is executive chef.

Other contestants to win through are: Mark Puffer of Halogen Ltd., The Bridgewater International Concert Hall in Manchester; Scott Denning of La Trompette in Chiswick; Nitin Kapoor of Las Iguanas in Bath; Carla Campbell of the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the NEC; Adam Thomson of Menzies Welcombe Hotel & Golf Course in Stratford-upon-Avon; Graham Walker of The Black Pig in Rock; Robert Taylor of The Glasshouse in Kew and last but by no means least, Christopher Bailey of The Bentley Hotel in London. From these, a final six will be selected to go through to the National Final which takes place at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park at the end of the month.

“The first part of the judging is always completely "blind": the judges did not have any idea whose recipe they are judging.” comments co-chairman of the judges Michel Roux. “We had a very varied selection of entries this year, and we were particularly pleased to see that one contestant’s recipe had an Indian perspective which is a refreshing change from the standard European culinary tradition. It was encouraging to see that two girls have won through to the next stage – we only have one female Roux Scholar and it would be good to have another one in this, our 21st birthday year.

“We noticed a tremendous variation in the price of lamb shoulder across the UK,” he adds “It varied from £2.70 per kilo in the North to a staggering £11 per kilo in the South and there were also regional variations in the butchering with some areas including the neck fillet in the shoulder. We are looking forward to tasting them at the regional finals which will be held at Birmingham College of Food and Kingsway Westminster College on 4 March. In addition to cooking their lamb recipe, each contestant will be asked to prepare a dessert from a mystery box of ingredients, which is only given to them half an hour before the competition starts.” he adds

This year's judging panel is augmented by guest judge Jay Rayner of The Observer. He joins Albert and Michel Roux, chairman of the judges, their respective sons Michel Junior and Alain, Victor Ceserani, Brian Turner, Gary Rhodes, David Nicholls and Rick Stein.

The winner will receive an impressive array of prizes, including £2,500 cash courtesy of the Savoy Educational Trust and up to three months training at a three Michelin-starred establishment in Europe; a trip to the Caribbean courtesy of Celebrity Cruises to learn about on-board cuisine; a visit to the cellars of Champagne Gosset at Aÿ and a trip to Milan to visit the Caffe Musetti roasting factory. It doesn’t end there, as the Roux Scholar also wins Global Knives worth £1,000, two chefs jackets from Bragard – and magnums of both Champagne Gosset Grand Rosé and Grande Reserve to toast their success in style.

In addition to prize sponsors, the Roux Scholarship is supported by British Airways Inflight Service; L’Unico; and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.

SEARCH IS ON FOR 2004 ROUX SCHOLAR

The 2004 Roux Scholarship – the 21st anniversary of the competition –is now open and potential entrants are advised to apply for an entry form now. The first stage of the competition next year requires entrants to devise a recipe for four people using a shoulder of lamb. “It is important to stress that the first stage of judging is completely “blind” with the judging panel only knowing the identities of the competitors once they win through to the regional heats,” comments Michel Roux. The 2004 competition is being officially launched at a charity Gala Dinner hosted by The Gleneagles Hotel to celebrate the 21st birthday of the competition. The very first Roux Scholar was Andrew Fairlie, who now runs the awarding-winning restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.

This year the judges have relaxed the entry requirements slightly “We are aware that some of our more talented young chefs have not necessarily reached their current position via the standard academic routes, and hands on experience often speaks for itself.” says Michel Roux, “Providing their employer is prepared to vouch for their competence, we will be prepared to consider making exceptions to the normal entry requirements in certain circumstances.”.

The 2004 Roux Scholar will win £2,500 cash, courtesy of sponsor the Savoy Educational Trust, plus lots of travel: A stage of up to three months at a three Michelin starred establishment in Europe; a trip to the Caribbean, courtesy of Celebrity Cruises to learn about on-board cuisine; a visit to the cellars of Champagne Gosset at Aÿ and a trip to Milan to visit the Caffe Musetti roasting factory. Add to this the prizes of product from Global Knives plus coffee and equipment for their establishment from L’Unico Caffe Musetti and the Roux Scholar 2004 has a wealth of training and prizes awaiting him or her. The current Roux Scholar, Simon Hulstone of the Cotswold House Hotel has spent his stage in Spain, training with Martin Berasategui. .

This year's guest judge is Jay Rayner of The Observer. He will join Albert and Michel Roux, chairman of the judges, their respective sons Michel Junior and Alain, Victor Ceserani, David Nicholls, Gary Rhodes Rick Stein and Brian Turner.

In addition to the aforementioned supporters, the Roux Scholarship is also generously supported by: British Airways Inflight Service; Bragard; Caterer & Hotelkeeper; the HCIMA and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.

Simon, who comes from Devon and lives now in Gloucestershire near to his Chipping Camden employer, is currently head chef at the Cotswold House Hotel.