Harrison Brockington (26) is Chef Patron at a restaurant called ‘Gather Totnes’ and studied for his professional qualifications at Michael Caines Academy at Exeter College.
He started Gather Totnes aged just 21 with his fellow ex-student Ollie Rosier.
The finalists were announced by chairmen Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr.
Harrison explained what he had to do: “At the restaurant we specialise is foraged items and were trained by professional forager David Beazley.
“I wanted to include creamed nettles in the recipe I put forward as well a crepe filled with devilled kidneys and sweet potatoes.”
The 18 plus two reserves, were selected from their written recipes that had to use one short loin of free-range gilt pork, two fresh pork kidneys, crackling and sweet potatoes.
They were submitted anonymously to the judges, who took part in the Recipe Judging day at The Waterside Inn on February 21 2024.
Harrison will be going to Birmingham on March 7 where the judges will be Michel Roux Jr, Angela Hartnett OBE and previous scholars Sat Bains and Simon Hulstone.
Harrison describes what will happen next: “When I go to Birmingham I will have to cook the recipe that I’ve sent in.
“We will be each given two and a half hours to cook our recipes along with making a dessert.”
Judge Michel Roux has this advice for applicants:
“I look for technical skills and knowledge in a recipe but also individuality. Even if the Roux Scholarship is firmly based in the French classics it does not mean we are not looking for something adventurous. A common mistake is to over-complicate the dish and recipes, sometimes less is more!
Those that make it through on March 7 will go through to the finals on April 8 at the Waterside Inn and the winner, as well as many of the finallists, are likely to embark on glittering careers which could take them around the world.