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 Young Chef 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.  Our winner in the United States in 2011, Reilly Mehan, went on to win the International Young Chef Competition put on by the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.  His culinary career and life have been changed forever as a result of this competition and his experience.

In the USA, competition begins at the regional level. Proprietors, managers, chefs and culinary instructors at Chaîne affiliated restaurants, hotels, culinary schools and Chaîne 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.

If you are interested in competing (and meet the eligibility requirements), contact the Bailli or an officer of the Chaîne Bailliage in your community or our National Office to indicate your interest. 

More information is available:

Click to download the Young Chef Manual 2012
Click to download the Young Chef Application
Click to download the Young Chef 2012 Regional Competition Schedule
Click to download the Recommended Par Stock List
Click to download the Young Chef Tasting Judge Scoring Form