Applicants must currently be working full-time in the UK as a chef, pastry chef or waiter and should be aged between 20 and 26 on 31st December 2013.

The AAE is an award available to young people in the hospitality industry, recognising and encouraging the most talented up and coming chefs, pastry chefs and waiters.  

The AAE is an examination as well as a competition; all or none of the candidates can achieve the award depending on their ability to attain the standard of excellence set by the judges.  All those who successfully reach this standard will win the AAE.  In addition, the winning candidate who scores the highest marks in each section will be named the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter 2014.

How to enter

Entry forms can be obtained from Ilisha Waring at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts
Tel: 020 8673 6300 / E-mail: [email protected] can be downloaded from the website www.royalacademyofculinaryarts.org.uk

All finalists will be presented with a certificate and bottle of Laurent-Perrier Champagne at the National Finals in May.

All winners will be invited to a Gala Presentation Dinner in July 2014 where they will receive a chefs jacket or sommeliers apron, a diploma recognising their achievement and a magnum of Laurent-Perrier Champagne.

The highest scoring winner in each section (Kitchen, Pastry and Service) will be announced at the Gala Presentation Dinner where they will be named the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Young Chef, Young Pastry Chef and Young Waiter of the Year 2014.  

Each will each receive prizes worth over £2000, including Victorinox knives, Meyer cookware, a specially commissioned engraved Silver trophy and a bursary from the Savoy Educational Trust which will take the form of an educational trip.  Past trips include visits to New Orleans, Dubai, Mexico, Champagne, Tuscany, Barbados and St Lucia.