Following last week’s paper judging, the Roux family has announced the regional finalists for the Roux Scholarship 2015 competition.

2015 was a particularly strong year for entries, with more than half of the finalists from restaurants outside London and a diverse range of nationalities represented.

This year’s challenge is to create a recipe to serve four people, using two whole guinea fowl (with or without giblets), chicken livers, trimmed; served together, plated and accompanied by two garnishes. One garnish must include spinach leaves and the other to be a garnish of the chef’s choice. A sauce must accompany the dish.

Alain Roux said: “The recipes we have selected are the work of some inspired chefs showing the versatility of approach and variety of ingredients. I am looking forward to tasting the sauces in the completed dishes, to see whether they lift and complement the other ingredients and prove the perfect match.”

A number of the chefs have passed through the kitchens of previous Roux Scholars. This more than anything demonstrates the true spirit of the Roux legacy where everyone involved is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of young talent. Also, judging is Andrew Fairlie, the first winner of the scholarship in 1984.

He said: “The standard this year was very high which made the judging tougher than ever. I’m pleased to see so many chefs in the finals representing restaurants from right across the country.” Two regional finals will be held simultaneously on Thursday, March 12 2015. They will take place at University College Birmingham and the University of West London, Ealing.

The chefs competing in Birmingham: Harry Guy L'Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria Tom Lawson Rafters Restaurant, Sheffield, South Yorkshire Richard Pascoe The Feversham Arms Hotel, Helmsley, North Yorkshire Ben Queen-Fryer The Coach House Café & Bistro, Ulverston, Cumbria Sam Rush The Banningham Crown, Banningham, Norfolk Dion Wyn Jones Crewe Hall Hotel, Crewe, Cheshire Judges: Alain Roux, Angela Hartnett and Steve Love (Roux Scholar 1997). The chefs competing in London: James Devine Black Cat Restaurant, Ballygawley, Co Tyrone Scott Dineen Goldman Sachs, (BaxterStorey), London Gavin Edney Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire Luke Fouracre Burford Bridge Hotel, Dorking, Surrey Sabrina Gidda Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, (Restaurant Associates), London Ollie Hay Clifford Chance (Restaurant Associates), London Win Hai Lau The Shepherd & Dog, Stowmarket, Suffolk Daniel Lee JP Morgan, (Aramark), London Jozef Rogulski The Stafford Hotel, London David Salt Allen and Overy, (Searcy’s), London Sushant Sanzgiri Hilton Hotel, Kensington, London Ian Scaramuzza Hibiscus Restaurant, London

Judges: Michel Roux Jr, Andrew Fairlie and David Nicholls.

Six winners selected from across the two regional finals will go through to the national final, which takes place at Westminster Kingsway College, London on March 30. The 2015 Roux Scholar will be announced at an awards ceremony held at The Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park, London the same evening.

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