A man from Bermondsey is through to the final of a competition to find the UK’s best young chef.
Karol Ploch, 28, a sous chef at Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, is one step closer to becoming this year’s Roux Scholar.
He was one of three to get through from London in the semi-final judged by experts including Alain Roux, Brian Turner CBE, Rachel Humphrey and some previous winners.
After wowing the judges with his first dish – Roasted Pork Loin with Pork and Pistachio Farce, Sweet Potato Dauphine, Glazed Pork Kidney with Crackling Crumb, Mushroom Bon Bon and Peppercorn Sauce – Karol’s nerves are racing for the final.
Following his success on the day he said: “I’m excited but really nervous. Today was how I expected it to be, and I was pleased about how it went.
“Now we just have to see how the final goes.”
In its 40th year, the competition is seen as ‘the holy grail’ by many in the industry. A host of former winners have gone on to run their own restaurants and earn Michelin stars.
Originally from Poland, Karol came to London to progress in his career and has lived in Bermondsey for the last four years.
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He will compete in the national final on Monday 8 April 2024 against five others.
The recipe details will be a complete surprise until 45 minutes before the start of the competition.
Each finalist will be given the ingredients for a main dish, either classic or modern, and given up to three hours to prepare and present it to the judges.
The winner of the competition gets world-class training worth £12,000 or an invitation to cook and train under the supervision of a leading chef at a three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world for up to two months.
