Each competitor is given an identical mystery "market basket" containing a few key ingredients, and is to design and prepare a three-course meal to serve four people using those ingredients—all in four hours time! Such is the challenge given young cooks competing in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Jeunes Commis Rôtisseur Competition.

The first competition was organized in 1977 in Switzerland to support and promote future young chefs by giving them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills. Competitions are held at regional, national and international levels in countries around the world that have a strong Chaîne presence. The competition was started in 1990 in the United States and continues to grow every year. It has been featured on the TV Food Network and CNN.

In the USA, competition begins at the regional level. Proprietors, managers, chefs and culinary instructors at Chaîne affiliated restaurants, hotels, culinary schools and Chaine members within each of the ten regions of the Bailliage des Etats-Unis can propose candidates, who complete and submit application forms to a Regional Coordinator, the Conseiller Culinaire Provincial. Contestants are then selected from the group of applicants.

More information is available:

Click to download the Jeunes Commis Manual 2010
Click to download the Jeunes Commis Application
Click to download the Jeunes Commis 2010 Regional Competition Schedule
Click to download the Recommended Par Stock List
Click to download the Jeunes Commis Tasting Judge Scoring Form