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FutureChef is run by Springboard Charitable Trust and forms part of its high-profile national schools programme. FutureChef is designed to help young people aged 12-16 learn about food and how to cook, and is based on a nationwide, four-staged competition. It provides a unique insight into the world of professional cookery by capturing imagination, recognising talent and providing a potential platform to launch a fabulous career in the industry. Supported by key industry partners and judged by some of the country’s top chefs, last year’s competition attracted a record 7,039 entrants from 522 schools throughout the UK.
Now in our eighth year of operation, the FutureChef programme has given more than 27,000 students a taste of the culinary world at its working best. FutureChef aims to assist even more young people to develop skills and gain direct work experience through links with the programme’s mentor chefs and the industry. It also provides expert advice on the career options and entry routes available within this rapidly expanding industry.
Aims
FutureChef’s five principal aims are to:
- Develop young people's understanding of food, culinary skills and key skills
- Provide opportunities for practical work experience across all sectors of the industry
- Highlight the skills needed to become a chef whilst showing the variety of jobs, careers, and entry routes
- Build relationships between industry partners and schools
- Raise the profile of cooking in schools whilst supporting the food related curriculum
Who can take part?
The competition is open to all 12-16 year old secondary school pupils resident in the UK. Normally 12-16 year olds would enter via a school but on the occasion where a school would not wish to take part, the individual would need to contact their local Springboard Office. With the growing awareness and popularity of the competition, we fully welcome, and indeed encourage, the re-entry of competitors, and recognise the right to competition entry for any young person that meets the entry criteria.
Benefits
Everyone who takes part in the FutureChef programme has something to gain. Throughout the four stages of the competition there are a fabulous array of prizes and benefits for all entrants, their family, teachers and schools.
For Schools
Taking part in the FutureChef programme:
- Contributes to pupils' learning experiences at Key Stage 3 and the 5-14 curriculum in Scotland
- Supports many aspects of food and cooking related courses in Years 10 and 11 (3rd and 4th Year - Scotland)
- Provides invaluable mentoring by well-respected chefs in the industry
- Helps your school get positive publicity, and has helped schools secure funding to develop food technology and catering departments
- Stimulates young people to learn about food, cooking, budgeting and presentation
- Provides a taste of what life is like in a professional kitchen and provides invaluable insight into careers
- Builds and develops long term links between education and industry
For Students
Taking part in the FutureChef programme:
- Provides all competitors with the chance of claiming some fantastic prizes
- Presents the chance to work with well-respected and celebrated chefs of the industry
- Teaches students invaluable cooking skills, and is a truly great learning experience
- Provides a fantastic insight into what it’s like to be a chef and the related career opportunities available in the food and catering industry
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