Seafood Chef & FOH Team Competition 2026 for Students and Apprentices

What the Competition Involves

Chefs

• Competitors will have 1½ hours to prepare, cook and serve three portions of a seafood main course.
  You will be required to:

  • Prepare a skin on 260g salmon supreme and fillet a whole sustainable plaice in front of the judges

  • No pre-prep is allowed

  • Ingredients can be pre-weighed

  • Vegetables can be peeled but not cut

  • MCGB will provide the fish

  • Competitors must bring their own equipment, supplementary ingredients and presentation plates

  • Cook and present both salmon and plaice with:

    • a shellfish garnish

    • an appropriate sauce

    • two garnishes of your choice
      This is your chance to show technique, imagination, sustainability awareness — and how well you can work with your front-of-house partner.

Front of House

• Your role is to deliver polished service and seamless communication with your chef. You will:

  • Lay a fully dressed table for two, with appropriate crockery, glassware and a centrepiece relevant to the competition

  • Create a mocktail of your choice (judges will taste pre-service)

  • Take guest allergen/dietary information and relay it accurately to your chef

  • Communicate timings, serve water and wine, and present the main course, explaining its key elements to the guests

  • After service, demonstrate barista skills by preparing one espresso and one café latte

  Wine will be provided.

• For any clarification on the above please contact Serena on partners@masterchefsgb.co.uk

The winning chef-FOH team will receive

• MCGB Apprentice Chef Trophy

• MCGB Apprentice Front of House Trophy

• £500 to the winning team

• A five-day placement at the two-Michelin-star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie

• A Roller Grill Rise and Fall Grill for the winning kitchen

• The winning team will cook and serve their dish at the MCGB Seafood Masterclass on Tuesday 21st April 2026

• All finalists receive:

  • A Master Chefs of Great Britain jacket and apron