Qatar Airways has announced a new three-year partnership with the Roux Scholarship. The airline will support the culinary competition, established more than 30 years ago, which offers young chefs from across the UK the chance to win an all-expenses-paid, three-month placement at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant of their choice, along with a cash prize, Qatar Airways has said in a press statement.
Since launching the professional development programme in 1984, brothers and world-renowned chefs Albert and Michel Roux have sought to inspire a new generation of chefs, offering a life-changing opportunity to work with some of the industry’s most accomplished culinary personalities.
The 2017 Roux Scholarship judging panel will be led by cousins Alain and Michel Roux Jr, who will be supported by celebrity chefs and esteemed culinary figures, including James Martin, David Nicholls and Brian Turner, along with the first Roux scholar, Andrew Fairlie, and previous winners Sat Bains, André Garrett and Simon Hulstone.
Participants for the 2017 competition will be required to submit a recipe incorporating mussels and fresh whole rainbow trout.
The judges will select the best 18 recipes and invite chefs to cook their dish as well as perform a ‘mystery box’ dessert challenge at the regional finals, to be held in Birmingham and London on March 23, 2017.
The final of the competition will then be held on April 10 in London with the winner announced at an award ceremony on the same evening.
The successful chef can fly as a guest of the airline and have the opportunity to experience Qatar Airways’ hospitality as they embark on their journey to begin the three-month scholarship.
Qatar Airways senior vice-president for customer experience, Rossen Dimitrov, said: “Qatar Airways’ passion for service and on-board dining has great synergy with the Roux family’s philosophy for fine dining. Qatar Airways is extremely excited to become the official airline partner of the Roux Scholarship to support young chefs to nurture their talent by working alongside some of the world’s greatest culinary mentors.”
The Roux family added: “The Roux family is proud to announce that multi-award winning Qatar Airways will be the Roux Scholarship’s exclusive international airline sponsor until 2019. Our partnership underlines our mutual commitment not only to culinary excellence and customer service but to our shared passion to promote and inspire generations of upcoming chefs. We value Qatar Airways’ support as we look forward to a rewarding and exciting three-year alliance.”
