Two Ascot chefs reach semi-finals of prestigious Roux Scholarship

Two chefs working at the same Michelin-starred restaurant near Ascot are through to the semi-finals of a competition to find Britain’s best young chef.

Oliver Robinson and James Rodgers, both based at Coworth Park, have been selected for the regional finals of the Roux Scholarship, now in its 42nd year.

The culinary competition is regarded as the top award for young chefs aged between 22 and 30, with past winners going on to run leading restaurants and earn Michelin stars.

The pair will compete alongside 16 other chefs at the regional finals, held simultaneously at the University of West London and the University College Birmingham on Thursday, March 5.

Oliver works as a senior sous chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant at Coworth Park, under the guidance of head chef and 2012 Roux Scholar Adam Smith.

The Sunninghill resident was a national finalist in last year’s competition and is currently in his second stint at the Ascot restaurant.

He previously worked there from 2016 to 2018, gaining experience in France and the Netherlands, before returning in April 2022.

“The Roux Scholarship has always been a dream of mine; I was lucky enough last year to make it through to the national finals, and I just knew it was something I wanted to be a part of again,” he said.

“My love of cooking stems from being in the kitchen with my Mum. I’ve always been drawn to the kitchen from a young age. Thinking back now, it’s bringing back a lot of happy memories from my childhood.

“I feel incredibly proud and excited to be a part of the regional finals and to compete alongside some incredible chefs.

“My ambitions for the future are and always have been owning my own restaurant alongside my girlfriend Jess, with the focus of bringing people together through food.”

Also through to the semi-finals is James Rodgers, who joined Coworth Park in 2023 and has risen from demi chef de partie to junior sous chef.

Originally from Sheffield, the 23-year-old is one of the youngest competitors this year and said he was inspired to enter the competition after supporting the Roux Scholarship awards dinners in 2024 and 2025.

“I feel very proud to represent Coworth Park, and where I came from,” he said.

“I entered the Roux Scholarship because it looked like a great experience to be a part of.

“It would be something to better my career within the industry, maybe learn in a three Michelin star restaurant for a few weeks.”

The 18 finalists and two reserves were selected following a blind judging process at the Recipe Judging Day at The Waterside Inn on February 11, where written recipe submissions were assessed anonymously.

Applicants were asked to devise a dish using one Devon White slow-grown, free-range chicken, and its chicken livers, along with two simple or composed garnishes – one of which had to feature leeks – and a sauce.

One judge, Lisa Goodwin-Allen, said: “It was my first time judging the recipes, and I thought some of them were really interesting, with some great detail.

“And it was all about showing their creativity and what can be done in the 2.5 hours.”

On the day of the regional finals, chefs will have two and a half hours to prepare their main dish, followed by a dessert created from a mystery box of ingredients.

This year’s judging panel includes a host of leading names from the culinary world, such as Alain Roux, Michel Roux Jr, Angela Hartnett OBE, Brian Turner CBE, James Martin and several former Roux Scholars.

Judges will be looking for dishes that strike the right balance between creativity and practicality, as well as accurate costings and careful use of every part of the chicken.

Six winners selected from across the two regional finals will go through to the national final at the Alain Roux Culinary School at The Waterside Inn on April 13.

Chairman Michel Roux Jr: “There was a very high level of cooking, which was reflected in how difficult it was to decide on who to put through to the regional finals.

“The clever and full use of the whole of the chicken was what impressed us most: the carcass, the wings, the legs. That’s what we were looking for.”

Chairman Alain Roux added: “It is great to see so many chefs have been supported to enter the competition by some of the best restaurants in the country at every level.”