The International Wine and Food Society
Europe Africa
Tara Hunter
Winner of the
IWFS Young Chef Competition 2024
Our Goal
Now in its 4th year, IWFS Young Chef Competition aims to connect with budding chefs by encouraging them to be creative in their dishes and helping them to build confidence as they progress through catering college and their careers.
Theme
The theme of this year’s competition is ‘British Fusion’ reflecting the exciting trend of adding an international twist to traditional British staple dishes.
Criteria for the Dish
British Fusion merges British foods, formats and dishes with other global cuisines. There is little more British than the traditional black pudding and therefore this year’s competition asks students to create a dish which combines black pudding with culinary influences from around the world to create a truly global taste experience.
These are examples of dishes that reached the final last year.
More examples can be seen at
The Bury Black Pudding Company Ltd is kindly supplying contestants with a choice from their complete range and will provide enough product to enable students to practice their dishes for the heats.
College Heats
Throughout Spring 2025, more than 100 students, from 10 catering colleges are competing to win places at the Final, with just two places available from each college
The Final
The Final will be held at Leeds College on Wednesday 30 April 2025. The judging team, led by Head Judge Paul Heathcote MBE, will be selecting the winning dishes from a talented field. This year, for the first time, students will also be proposing wine pairings to accompany the dishes.
Grand Awards Lunch
The Awards lunch will be held at Cheshire South College in Crewe on Friday 16 May 2025 where the Judges’ decisions will be announced and prizes awarded. First prizes of £500 will be awarded for the best dish, and the best wine pairing.
Our Sponsors
This year's competition would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors for which we are very grateful. Click on the logo to visit a sponsor website
SAGA CRUISES
Offering exclusive, sophisticated cruises for over-50s since 2003, Saga Cruises has quickly risen to prominence as one of the world’s most recognisable cruise lines.
Saga offers boutique cruising to exciting destinations worldwide thanks to its two sister ships – Spirit of Discovery & Spirit of Adventure.
Winners of the British Travel Awards 2023 Best Cruise Line for Luxury Holidays, Saga are renowned for their commitment to colleague training and development and dedication to delivering outstanding hospitality.
The Bury Black Pudding Company
The Bury Black Pudding Company is widely recognised as the UK’s leading retail black pudding brand. With over 50 years’ manufacturing experience, the company use a gold medal-winning recipe that dates back over a century alongside traditional production methods. Their delicious and low-fat “superfood” products are not only enjoyed in this country, but exported around the globe where they are considered one of the truly great British food brands.
Savoy Educational Trust
The Savoy Educational Trust is an independent grant giving charitable trust whose main aim is the advancement and development of education, training and qualifications for the benefit the UK hospitality industry. The Trust is passionate about fostering the growth and excellence of individuals working in (or aspiring to work in) hospitality, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in this dynamic sector.
Robinsons Brewery
Based in the heart of Stockport for over 185 years, owning a collection of around 250 pubs, inns and hotels across the North West and North Wales, Robinsons is one of the most respected names in British brewing and innkeeping.
