Essential Cuisine launches search for Britain's Best Brigades

The inaugural Britain’s Best Brigades​​ competition is seeking teams to represent eight regions across the UK - London, the South East, the South West, the Midlands, the North East, the North West & Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

The finalists from each region will go head-to-head in a public vote, with the winning team receiving a £1000 prize and menu development masterclass, and runners up given £300 towards a team night out.   

Chef teams from any sector can enter the competition, as long as they have “chemistry, camaraderie and some seriously good cooking”.

Britain's Best Brigades​

Entries will be judged by a panel including chef patron of Liverpool’s Hope Street Hotel, Paul Askew and Executive Chef at London’s Park Lane Sheraton, Andrew Bennett MBE, before eight regional finalists are chosen. 

Nigel Crane, managing director for Essential Cuisine, said: “Camaraderie, skill, commitment and a tireless work ethic; these are just some of the qualities that make good brigades great, and we want to uncover the best. It doesn’t matter which sector you work in, tell us why your kitchen should be considered and you could be chosen to represent your region.”

Entry process​

To enter Britain’s Best Brigades, chef teams should visit www.bestbrigades.com/enter​​ and submit the required information by 20 April.

Once the eight regional finalists have been selected by the judging panel, each will be required to create a 30-60 second video that perfectly sums up their kitchen philosophy.

The videos will go to a live public vote on Essential Cuisine’s Facebook page on 18 May – 29 June 2015, with the team with the most votes named the overall winner.

“For the video round, we want these kitchen teams to capture the spirit that keeps them ticking. Let’s be under no illusion, we’re not looking for the next Spielberg, more the characters, camaraderie and the cooking skill,” said Crane.

 “Regional pride is at stake, I urge kitchens with serious chemistry and the will to win to get involved, stand up and be counted.”

Essential Cuisine, the British producer of premium stocks, jus, gravies, glaces and demi-glaces, is celebrating 20 years in business this year.