The deadline to apply for the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship competition has come and gone, and this year's set of competitors has already been announced. More than 150 applications were submitted by hopeful young chefs across the country and after careful consideration, the list has been narrowed down to 40. The first of four legs will take place in Calgary on May 4th, 2019 at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), featuring the first 10 chosen local chefs.

"Every year, we are impressed by the aspiring young chefs who apply and make the selection process increasingly difficult," says scholarship founder chef David Hawksworth. "The application goes beyond technique and creativity of their selected recipes, demonstrating a solid reflection of their professionalism and kitchen etiquette."

The Calgary heat will feature a panel of highly acclaimed judges, including SAIT culinary instructor and Master Chef, Michael Allemeir, chef Connie DeSousa of Charcut Roast House and Charbar, chef Justin Leboe of Model Milk and Pigeonhole, chef Paul Rogalski of Rouge Restaurant, and chef Chris Stewart of Vancouver’s Donnelly Group.

 

 

 

 

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Now in its seventh year, the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship has changed the lives of many prodigious young talents and this year will be no different. The top two chefs from every heat will advance to the national finals this fall, where they’ll not only get a chance to represent their city on a nationwide scale, they’ll also be receiving life-changing mentorship and development. In the days leading up to the Black Box competition, the gifted finalists will have an exciting schedule of dinners, workshops, and field trips.

Additionally, for the first time, chef Hawksworth will be treating previous Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship alumni to an unforgettable four-day excursion to Italy to take in the culinary culture and explore wineries and restaurants.

The date for the final Black Box competition has yet to be announced, but it is sure to be a thrilling endeavour. The finalists will have three hours to cook a main course and dessert using all of the black box ingredients. One competitor will emerge with a $10,000 scholarship, a placement at a selected leading international restaurant, and the title of Canada’s Top Young Chef.