Home Cook

Brief for entry stage of competition

Menu:
Two courses – main course and dessert 

Quantity:
To serve two

Time allowed:
2 hours 

Ingredients:
To include the judges’ specified ingredients accompanied by ingredients of your choice that should be seasonal and locally produced/grown/reared wherever possible.  Our judges will select both a meat and a fish option for your main course and you may choose to use either of these (but not both).

The compulsory ingredients for 2024 will be published soon.

Notes:

No pre-prepared elements permitted, with the exception of homemade stocks

The meat and fish/seafood ingredients will be supplied whole, on the bone/in the shell and you will need to carry out any butchery/filleting you wish during the competition.

N.B. When selecting your seasonal menu, please don’t forget that the final will be held on 5th October!

Entry

Please send us your recipes (including method) and photographs for each course. Entries for 2024 are not yet open.

Important notes

• The ingredients selected by the judges must be included in all menus submitted by entrants.
• Selected entrants will be provided with the required quantity of each of these ingredients for the semi-final.  All other ingredients must be provided by competitors.
• Ingredients used in competitors’ menus should be locally grown/reared/produced wherever possible.
• Competitors must only include elements in their dishes that can be prepared from scratch during the allotted competition time.
• With the exception of home-made stocks, no pre-prepared elements will be permitted and if present, will be confiscated or discounted from the judging process.
• Competitors must minimse wastage in the kitchen throughout the preparation of their menus at the competition.

See below for further notes about the compulsory ingredients and the rules of the competition.

The final

Selected entrants will be invited to attend the final on Saturday 5th October at Exeter College, where they will be asked to prepare their proposed menus for the judges in two hours.

The winner will be announced at the awards presentation dinner on Tuesday 29th October, to which each finalist will be invited.

Important notes about the compulsory ingredients

• Where the compulsory ingredient you are given is a whole bird or fish, you may use the whole bird or fish or any part of it in your dish.
• At the competition, you will receive the ingredients whole and must prepare them as you wish within the competition time, including all butchery/filleting.
• Once the judges have selected the entrants to invite to the next round, we will contact you to obtain your orders for your compulsory ingredients.  You are asked not to order more than required.
• Seasonality – if you are unable to obtain the specific ingredients for photography at the time of entry, it is suggested that you use a similar ingredient for the photographs, for the purposes of demonstrating your presentation style. The judges will take this into consideration when judging all entries.

Rules of the competition

• Entrants must be living or working in the six counties of the South West: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire or Gloucestershire
• Competitors must only include elements in their dishes that can be prepared from scratch during the allotted competition time.  With the exception of home-made stocks, no pre-prepared elements will be permitted and if present, will be confiscated or discounted from the judging process.
• Photographs of all dishes entered must be sent when entering, along with full recipes including the method.
• Finalists will be provided with the required quantity of the compulsory ingredients for the finals and are asked to bring all other ingredients with them.
• Competitors must minimise wastage of ingredients at all stages of the competition.
• Finalists are advised to bring all of their own equipment and presentation dishes to the competition to ensure that all required equipment is available.
• Competitors must be within the stipulated age bracket on the day of the final of the category that they wish to enter.  Proof of age may be requested at the final.
• Only the names of those selected for the final will be publicised.  We do not make public the names of any entrants not selected for the final.
• Entrants enter and participate in the South West Chef of the Year competition entirely at their own risk
• Entries must be received by no later than midnight on the day of the closing date.  There will be no extension to this closing date.
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.