A WEST Devon chef and waiter are to serve for a top culinary title after beating off competition from more than 200 young hopefuls from the hospitality industry.
The competition, now in its 20th year and open to 25 year olds and under, is organised by the Restaurant Association and aims to encourage young people by giving them a platform to demonstrate their cooking and waiting skills.
John, 23 and Richard, 25, will compete in the southern regional final of the highly sought after title which takes place at Oxford Brookes University on September 7.
Born and bred in Tavistock, John is a junior sous chef at Browns, and Richard has worked at the Arundell Arms for a year where he is restaurant manager. Prior to that he worked at the Royal Crescent in Bath, Bath Priory and the Fat Duck in Bray.
They will be tested on various skills in front of a panel of expert judges selected from some of the industry?s most respected chefs and restaurateurs.
Regional chef finalists have to create a dish from a surprise basket of ingredients, demonstrate a number of culinary skills, complete a written paper and a wine recognition exercise.
The waiters will be required to perform a range of food service activities, demonstrate customer care and organisational skills and complete a short presentation on their restaurant?s menu, a written paper and wine recognition test.
If John and Richard are among the eight chefs and waiters selected from two regional finals to go through to the national finals in London in October they will be paired with a young chef/waiter and the pair will compete as a team for the ultimate accolades.
The top prize is £2,000 in cash and a study trip to Cuba, with various other cash prizes for the runners-up, catering equipment and trips.
Previous winners have gone on to be awarded coveted Michelin stars or to work at some of the most acclaimed establishments in the country.