Unleash your potential chefs

The 2022 Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award is now open and looking for talented young chefs to show their skills and ignite their culinary careers.

Regional and final cook-off heats are back, with prizes at every stage. 15 regional cook-offs will be held across Australia and New Zealand to select the top 12 grand finalist chefs for 2022, who will represent their regions in the ultimate culinary showdown at Fine Food Australia in Melbourne this September.

More regional heats have also been introduced to give more aspiring young chefs a chance to showcase their skills. Three new NSW regional heats have been added in Armidale, Grafton and Bega.

This year will see even more prizes up for grabs. In addition to the ultimate Golden Chef of the Year $10K cash prize, two new $2.5K culinary tuition cash prizes for Best Savoury Dish and Best Dessert Dish have been created. These prizes will recoginse the individual skill of the young chefs and contribute towards completion of their culinary tuition fees. 

Entry is now open until 6th May (11:59pm AEST).

Chefs aged 16-25 can enter online and will be selected to cook-off live, going up against their culinary peers in the regional heats, to select the 12 finalist contenders.

Registration takes less than 5 minutes and so long as you’re eligible you will be guaranteed a place to compete in the regional cook-offs.

Last year’s Golden Chef of the Year winner, Kimberly Tang, 24, says that her experience in Australia’s longest running culinary competition has taught her a lot, improving her skills and knowledge. “I love the thrill of this competition and it’s what you make of every opportunity that counts.”

Full details and registration at nestle-goldenchefs.com.au
Stay up to date on Facebook @goldenchefs and Instagram @golden_chefs

New for 2022:

✓ Chef equipment prizes valued at $299 for each of the 12 regional winners

✓ $1K kitchen equipment prizes on offer for the Most Creative and Most Sustainable Menu finalist award winners

✓ $2.5K cash prizes for the Best Savoury Dish and Best Dessert Dish finalist winners

✓ $10K cash prize for the ultimate Golden Chef of the Year prize winner

✓ New fresh faces joining the judging panel, to offer young chefs top-ranking scoring, feedback, and insights to improve their skill set.

*Important information: Entry open to individuals who are AU or NZ residents working (current or recent) in the culinary industry or are a current culinary student and aged between 16-25 on 31.12.22 (if <18 obtain parent/guardian permission). Registration opens 14 March 2022 and closes 06 May 2022. All eligible entrants will be invited to attend the Regional and Metro cook offs which will occur between May – July 2022. Twelve entrants (one per region) will be awarded with a prize and invited to participate in the Grand Final cook-offs which will occur in Melbourne between 3-8 September 2022 (date/location is subject to change). There are 5 prizes to be won during the Grand Final cook-offs. Total prize pool $20,588. For full entry requirements, cook-off details, prize categories and inclusions see https://www.goldenchefs.com.au/competition-info/terms-and-conditions

Promoter is Nestlé Australia Ltd.