26/03/2025
The Roux Scholarship 2025 national final sees 50% female chefs in the line up
For the first time ever, the national final of The Roux Scholarship sees gender parity in its chefs. Nikoletta Theofylaktidou, Erin Jackson Yates and Katherine Altham all qualified thanks to the high standard of their dishes – which used red gurnard, mussels, dulse and parsnips – that they cooked in the regional finals on 6th March.
The news follows several years of work to encourage the industry to support more female chefs to enter the competition, including a Round Table discussion in 2022, followed by the publication of a White Paper that addressed many of the challenges faced by female chefs working in the UK hospitality industry.
Michel Roux Jr said: “Because the first round of The Roux Scholarship is blind-judged, the only way to get more chefs of all backgrounds and demographics to qualify for the regional finals is to have them enter in the first place. We are delighted to see so many more women in the final this year.”
All six of the finalists are new to the competition, having not entered before, and they all come from a different kind of restaurants. However, all such information is removed before the judges see the recipe applications. The chefs then cook these recipes in the regional finals and six are selected for the final which, this year, will take place at the Alain Roux Culinary School at The Waterside Inn on 14th April.
Let’s meet the three female finalists (all photography below by Jodi Hinds):
Erin, 29, is head chef at Bar Valette having previously worked at The Clove Club and Moor Hall. Last summer, she returned to the UK after two years working in Australia as head chef at Josh Niland’s restaurant Saint Peter in Sydney, where she spent time with previous Roux Scholarship winner April Lily Partridge, who went to stage at the restaurant as part of her prize. Erin says: “April pushed me to take the leap of faith and enter.” As well as this support, Erin has been encouraged by her chef at Bar Valette, Isaac McHale. “Isaac has been really supportive ever since I got through to the regionals, making sure that I know that if I need anything, he’s there for me.”
Even with the national final still yet ahead of her, Erin says she has found the experience of The Roux Scholarship rewarding: “I’ve learned so much, and I know that there’s a still a ton that I’m going to learn in the coming weeks. The sense of support and the allusions to the feeling of ‘family’ within The Roux Scholarship are just so incredible, it’s already exceeded my expectations of the competition even at this early stage.”
And who are her role models in the industry? “I’ve always struggled with the iconic idea of role models, and it’s definitely a challenge being a woman in the industry when 99% of the people you’re meant to look up to are men” She says. “Of course there are some amazing women doing brilliant things – just look at some of the judges and recent winners of the Roux Scholarship – and it excites me to know that more and more women are getting the spotlight.”
Katherine, 28, is chef de partie at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. She began her chef career after gaining a first-class degree in Egyptology at Oxford University, but had always enjoyed baking and cooking at home. When she got a job in a kitchen she realised a culinary career was her calling. Her previous roles include senior chef de partie at Ben Wilkinson at the Pass and pastry commis chef at Northcote Manor, Lancashire. She was encouraged to enter The Roux Scholarship by friends and family. She says: “Initially I was a little unsure about whether I would be able to do it, but they convinced me to give it a shot this year.”
Having the support of colleagues has also been crucial ahead of the application and regional finals: “My kitchen at Hélène Darroze at the Connaught has been very supportive. I used the kitchen to practise and the chefs would taste my dishes and give me feedback on how to improve and discuss elements with me.”
So far, how has Katherine found the experience?
“It’s been amazing; even creating a dish and sending in my recipe was a really good learning experience. From there, competing in the regional finals and now preparing for the finals has definitely given me more skills, experience and confidence.”
Nikoletta works at Restaurant Associates in London as a fine dining sous chef. She started her chef career at Westminster Kingsway College in London, where the Roux Scholarship previously held its national final and counts many winners among its alumni. Nikoletta comes from Thessaloniki in Greece and tries to weave some of her Greek heritage into her menus at work.
Like the other finalists, she is also thrilled to have made it through to the final. “It is such a prestigious competition and I am so grateful to be part of it. I am so looking forward to the finals.”
Nikoletta is grateful to have had support from colleagues. “My executive chef Nick Wyborn pushed me to enter it last year but I couldn’t fully commit. When the spec got released this year, I immediately reached out to him saying that I am definitely going for it. He was so excited and extremely supportive. Also, my mentor and head chef Stacey Harris has been a rock! He supported me since day one and always pushes me to the next level. We had a very busy and challenging week prior to the regional finals and he couldn’t have been more supportive. The day before the regional finals I was doing a full run through and he stayed with me ‘til the end, helped me pack all my equipment the next morning and was constantly motivating me. He is truly inspirational and a definitely a chef to look up to.”
Outside of her workplace, Nikoletta also looks up to chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen. “She is a true role model in our industry. I have worked with her twice in the past for special dinner events and her attitude and presence in the kitchen is amazing.”
The blind-judged recipe application means that everyone has an equal chance of qualifying for the regional finals, and it is a process for which Nikoletta is grateful.
“I believe it is a very fair process and one that definitely encourages more chefs to enter. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what restaurant you work for or what your background is if you can deliver excellent food that the judges will like.”
She has found preparing for the competition useful in itself. “I have learned so much just by researching the competition and now that I am through to the finals I am discovering and practising a lot more techniques that I normally wouldn’t do at work. I would 100% encourage all chefs to enter.”
Judge Emily Roux (pictured above) said: “I am very excited to be able to judge alongside Chef Elena Arzak this year, she is one of the eight female chefs in the world who hold three Michelin stars. I am extremely lucky to have had dinner at her restaurant in San Sebastián and what an incredible experience it was. Utter perfection from start to finish!”
For more information about The Roux Scholarship, see www.rouxscholarship.co.uk
You may also be interested in our interviews the following chefs:
Ruth Hansom on making the Roux Scholarship finals in 2022 and Olivia Burt on making the Roux Scholarship finals in 2022. Plus read our ambassador Antonia Lloyd’s interview with April Lily Partridge on winning the Roux Scholarship in 2023. Also find out more about Emily Roux who was awarded her first Michelin star earlier this year.
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