The competition founder is teaming up with headline sponsor Panasonic, co-patron Pervin Todiwala of Café Spice Namaste and the Master Chefs of Great Britain to ensure the competition reaches its bigget audience to date.

Todiwala said: “Zest Quest Asia is evolving beyond my wildest expectations and slowly but surely will become part of the psyche of food and catering educationalists.  Panasonic, together with our other leading sponsors and supporters, are sending out a strong message of support for the promotion of pan-Asian cuisine in the hospitality industry.  They’re helping us to develop the skills and passion for Asian cuisine as a career, helping us to fill critical skills shortages and gaps.

“So I say to colleges out there who haven’t yet fielded teams or submitted their entries for 2017, the time to do so is now.  No other culinary competition in our industry challenges contestants as much nor rewards as generously.  Previous winners have enjoyed positive life changing experiences by learning more about food and its place in Asian culture.  We need to see your entries in by 4^th November 2016.”

Last year’s winners, from Milton Keynes College, enjoyed a culinary tour of Bangkok as their prize and previous years’ winners, Westminster Kingsway College and Farnborough College, visited Mumbai and Sri Lanka, respectively. 

The competition’s aims are two-fold; to stimulate interest in pan-Asian cuisine as a sought-after career among budding chefs and to help stem the talent drain in authentic Asian cookery by up-skilling home-grown chefs, thereby helping to secure the future of the UK’s £3 billion Asian food sector.  Only students who hold permanent residency in the UK are eligible to enter the competition.

For entry forms and more information, visit zestquestasia.com.  Gold level sponsorship slots are all filled now but positions are still open for Silver and Bronze.  Tickets for the gala dinner, which is on Monday 13^th February 2017, at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, will go on sale in November.