Leading Chinese and East Asian food grocer Wing Yip has launched its 2014 search to find the finest Young Chef for Chinese Cuisine.

New for this year the competition is going nationwide and applicants aged between 18 and 25 years old, employed in the hospitality industry or training at college or university, will have the opportunity to enter and demonstrate their flair for Chinese cuisine.

Wing Yip’s Young Chef of the Year 2014 competition offers aspiring cooks the chance to showcase their culinary talent, develop their skills and win a once in a lifetime trip to Hong Kong.

Mr Wing Yip, the Chairman of the company, said, “We want to celebrate the rich vein of young culinary talent in the UK. Asian and Chinese cuisine is fast becoming one of the most popular in the UK. More and more TV food programmes, including BBC Masterchef, are featuring chefs who are using and experimenting with a raft of authentic Oriental ingredients in their dishes. This competition will showcase the dedication and skilful chefs we have coming through in the UK.”

Entrants will be required to create a Chinese menu using ingredients of their choice. 

The panel of judges which includes TV Chef, Ching He Huang, Michelin-starred Birmingham chef, Glynn Purnell, and British Culinary Federation President Peter Griffiths, will put the finalists through their paces.

Under the watchful eye of head judge Peter Griffiths the cook-off finalists will be marked on their authenticity, skills and innovation:

Peter Griffiths said: “This is the second year the competition has run. Last year we were incredibly impressed by the use of flavours, presentation and creativity in the finalists’ dishes. It has certainly set the standard for this year and we are very much looking forward to seeing what this year’s chefs have to offer.”

The competition will be judged in two stages: a paper-based entry for the first round (closing date 10 January 2014), followed by a competitive cook-off at the University College Birmingham on 21 February 2014.

The winners will be announced at an official awards dinner at the University College Birmingham following the competitive cook-off.

Wing Yip is the UK’s leading Chinese/Asian grocer, with stores in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood and Croydon. A visit to one of the stores is like taking a trip around the world, with over 4,500 pan-Asian products.

For further information and to download an entry form please go to www.wingyip.com

 

Wing Yip fact file

• Mr Wing Yip arrived from Hong Kong in 1959 and has since become one of the UK’s most successful Chinese businessmen.

• Eighteen months later Wing and business partners opened their first Chinese restaurant in Clacton-on-Sea. Due to its success, this was quickly followed by the opening of two other restaurants and one takeaway in East Anglia.

• In 1970 Wing Yip and his brother Sammy opened their first specialist Chinese grocer in the heartland of Birmingham to supply Chinese products to local Chinese families, restaurants and takeaways.

• Now, Wing Yip has four superstores in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood (London) and Croydon which are landmarks in their local communities. Two further stores are planned for Cardiff and Nottingham.

• Mr Wing Yip founded the W Wing Yip & Brothers Bursaries to encourage and provide financial assistance to students of Chinese origin, local and from overseas, to complete their studies in the United Kingdom.  Since it was established over 300 bursaries have been granted plus 30 scholarships for students from China to study at Churchill College, Cambridge.

• Wing Yip imports directly from the Far East, with each store stocking more than 3,000 authentic Pan-Asian foods and products.

• The centre of Birmingham hosts a Chinese pagoda, a gift from Wing Yip and his brothers as a thank you to the city which enabled their business to become so successful. The pagoda is hand carved from solid granite and stands 40 ft high. Created in China, it was shipped over to the UK in sections and assembled on site.

• In 2008 Mr Wing Yip was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Birmingham City University.

• 2010 was a successful year for leading Oriental grocer Wing Yip. The year commenced with Mr Wing Yip being awarded an OBE for services to the Oriental food industry in the New Year Honours List, shortly followed by Mr Wing Yip receiving a lifetime achievement award at the World Food Awards.

• In 2012 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Aston University.