Three events – each featuring a chef from a hotel, a pub and a restaurant in Milton Keynes – will see each contender cook a three-course meal for 25 diners who will rate their experience.
The winners of each event will meet in a grand final to decide who is Milton Keynes’ top chef.
The competition is the brainchild of Milton Keynes & North Bucks Chamber of Commerce. It was inspired to highlight the quality of catering available in Milton Keynes after hearing from several of the biggest companies based in the city that, having shown clients and fellow executives around the area, they would take them to dine in London rather than stay local.
Chamber operations director Helen Horwood said: “It is an opportunity for the chefs that we have in our hotels, pubs and restaurants to showcase their talents.”
Chief executive Rita Spada (pictured) added: “Milton Keynes has the third largest number of restaurant covers in the UK, yet we are not renowned for dining and dining excellence. We want to change all that.”
The dining events will take place at the Lovat Fields retirement village run by Extracare at Willen. They will also feature talks by wine experts and cocktail makers, while a barista will also advise on how the right choice of coffee can enhance a meal.
Milton Keynes has a growing reputation for catering education, with Milton Keynes College offering catering courses and hospitality giant De Vere opening the latest of its Academies – designed to encourage new talent in the industry – at Harben House in Newport Pagnell. The Academy opened in October and is already working with 30 students.
