Rules

By entering competitors agree to be bound by the following rules of the competition:

• Age Limit. Entrants of the Roux Scholarship must be in employed as a professional chef in the United Kingdom and be aged 22 or above, but no older than exactly 30 on 1/2/2025.
• Details. Full details of the competition, how to enter and mandatory instructions are on the How to Enter page of the website which competitors must read in addition to these rules before entering. Please follow the instructions carefully including the list of items that are not permitted, any transgression will result in disqualification.
• Photograph/image of your dish. One and a maximum of two photographs may accompany your recipe as part of your entry if you feel these will enhance your entry.
• Your photo. You are required to provide a photo of yourself as part of the entry process. By uploading your photo you agree that the Roux Scholarship may use the photo for marketing purposes including use on social media. You must ensure your photo is of you facing and looking at the camera and should only show your head and shoulders.
• Training & qualifications. Entrants must have undertaken some or all of their training and/or apprenticeship in Great Britain or Ireland. Entrants would normally be expected to have either passed their NVQ level 2 or equivalent. Those who qualified in Ireland must have obtained their NTCB Certificate in Professional Cookery; and those who qualified abroad must have achieved the equivalent qualification in their home country. However, if a candidate does not possess these qualifications, in special circumstances an exception can be made. Supporting documentation and/or references will be required from existing or past employers. Please contact the organisers at the Institute of Hospitality on 020 8661 4900 as soon as possible to discuss if applicable.
• All entries are marked blind. Make sure your recipe, method and photographs are anonymous: no logos or personal identifiers should be visible or your entry will be discarded.
• Number of entries from the same establishment. Hotel and restaurants may submit multiple entries, providing each is from a different person.
• Previous Roux Scholars are excluded from entering, as are current employees of The Waterside Inn.
• Online entries only. All entries must be submitted through the official Roux Scholarship website online link, which will be sent to you after successful registration. If you send your entry via the post or as an email attachment you will not be entered into the competition. No responsibility can be accepted for lost or delayed entries. It is your responsibility to make sure it is submitted on time. Please DO NOT send a paper entry to any address associated with the Roux Family.
• Any recipes without a clear title, and a full list of costings, will be disqualified. Incomplete entries will be not be submitted to the judges: please check carefully that you have completed all elements of the entry process and your latest CV is included.
• Pre-prepared ingredients, such as pastry, are not permitted and the time to make it should be factored into the timing of the recipe. A quick puff pastry is acceptable and can be achieved in 20 minutes.
• Should they qualify, chefs may bring their own crockery and items of equipment to the regional finals.
• Keep your own copy. Copies of entries must be kept by entrants for future reference, as correspondence cannot be returned. If you are selected to cook at the regional final you must cook exactly the same dish in your written entry on the day or you will be penalised.
• The organisers reserve the right to use and publish any submitted entry material.
• The judges’ decision at each stage of the competition is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• The prizes as set out on this site are correct at time of going to press but should any become unavailable for any reason, the organisers reserve the right to vary or amend them. No cash alternatives are available.
• Competitors enter and take part in the competition at their own risk. The organisers disclaim all and any liability to those competitors who take part in the competition, and to the scholar in respect of their participation in the prizes, save as covered under the organisers’ insurance arranged for the scholar.
• The organisers waive any responsibility for any tax liability resulting from the awarding of prizes.
• Relevant items from sponsors may be available for competitors to use in the kitchen at both the Regional & National finals. Where applicable entrants will be briefed in advance by the competition organisers.
• Data Protection. It is a condition of entry that entrants confirm on the entry form that they have read the Scholarship’s Privacy Policy, which is published on The Scholarship website, and give their consent to the Roux Scholarship holding personal information about them.
• All reasonable travel and subsistence expenses incurred by competitors to and from the competition (including Regional and National Finals), together with essential expenditure on ingredients, will be met by the Roux Scholarship, provided the expenditure is agreed in advance, and receipts are supplied to the competition organisers.
• The winner’s stage. The final decision on the winner’s training rests with the chairmen of the judges. The winner will have a discussion with a member of the Roux family to support them with their choice of stage destination or the bespoke training programme. If it suits the winner’s personal circumstances to do less than two months, this is acceptable; equally, they may choose a three-star Michelin restaurant in the UK if it suits them better than going abroad. It is important to remember that the stage and the training programme are entirely tailored to the winner and any concerns can be addressed as part of discussions.
• Timing of the winner’s stage. Once the destination is agreed and the host restaurant has confirmed that this is possible it will take approximately three months from this date to make the arrangements. The winner should take note of these timescales when making their own diary plans.
• The bespoke training programme will be a tailored to fit around the winner’s work commitments within twelve months of winning The Roux Scholarship. The winner will work with the Roux Family and The Roux Scholarship team to choose a list of up to six short educational experiences, visits and stays in the UK and a maximum of two abroad, to help their individual career development, up to a value of £12,000.