Now in its 12th year, the competition aims to continue the quest to raise the profile of Asian cuisine among student chefs in Britain. The competition, renowned for its rigorous judging standards, has seen previous student teams rising to the challenge and gaining invaluable skills as a result of taking part.

The prize for the winning team is an educational trip, exploring the culture and cuisine of an Asian destination which will be announced at the gala dinner finale. Past destinations have included Thailand, Japan, India, the Philippines, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Maria Chong, managing director, Lee Kum Kee Europe, commented: “Our goal with sponsoring Zest Quest Asia is to inspire the next generation of chefs in the UK, focusing on both the mastery of traditional Asian sauces and the creation of innovative, modern dishes. By blending time-honoured techniques with fresh, creative inspiration, we aim to empower young chefs to explore new culinary horizons.

“This will foster a fresh wave of creativity that will transform the future of Asian cuisine in the UK, with the best of ingredients and knowledge made available to the student teams. We appreciate the hard work and sentiment behind this competition and are proud to be headline sponsors for Zest Quest Asia 2025.”

Deadline for colleges to register interest is 1st November, closing date for entries is 6th December and finalists will be announced on 19th February 2025.

Zest Quest Asia’s founder, Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL FIH added: “Over the years Zest Quest Asia has been successfully inspiring and encouraging young students and their mentors to further explore the possibilities of Asian cuisines. We thank our sponsors for their loyalty and commitment, without them this competition wouldn’t be the great success that it is today.”