Entrants for the Gordon Ramsay Scholar Award 2008 are now being sought.

Now in its eighth year, this year’s competition will see 40 working chefs aged 18 to 25 battle it out through a series of cook-offs over the course of the event.

The competition culminates in an eight-strong grand final, which will take place at the BBC Good Food Show in November at Birmingham’s NEC.

Last year’s winner was Jamie Raftery, chef de partie at Michael Caines’ two-Michelin-starred Gidleigh Park Hotel in Devon.

Raftery was awarded an array of prizes including a VW car, £5,000 and a week long placement in each of Ramsay’s signature restaurants in London, Paris and New York.

Gordon Ramsay said: “The event has continued to grow beyond my wildest expectations and must surely now be considered the premier competition for young chefs in the industry. The standard of competition never ceases to amaze me with a huge array of talent on show which always demonstrates to me that the future of our industry is in very safe hands.”

Entry forms are available at www.gordonramsay.com or can be requested by e-mailing ramsayscholar@gordonramsay.com.

The deadline for entries is 30 September 2008

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By Kerstin Kühn

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