Rising Pastry Chef 2026 – Stage Two

Euro-Toques RIsing Pastry Chef of the Year 2025

STAGE TWO: WRITTEN TASK – THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS MONDAY 17TH AUGUST 2026 AT 17:00

THE TASK – Write an original recipe (meaning not a recipe in use in your place of work) that reflects the theme: 

“Community at the table: from place to plate.”

Some food for thought to help you:

This year’s theme is about community, who you cook for, where your food comes from, and how everything connects. We’re asking you to think about the people around your table today: your guests, your suppliers, your producers, and your wider food community. The ingredients you choose should support that community and reflect what’s around you. Heritage is also part of the theme. This could be where you’re from, or where you are now. It’s about taking inspiration from your roots, traditions, and experiences, and using them to create food that makes sense today. Food is always shaped by its surroundings, by what’s local, what’s in season, and what’s available.

We want you to join the dots:

  • connect your heritage with the present
  • connect producers with the plate
  • connect people through food

At its core, this theme asks you to think about:

  • Who are you cooking for?
  • Where does your food come from?
  • How does your dish reflect the community around you?

Community at the table is about bringing people together, using what surrounds you, and creating food with meaning.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

  • Fill out this form and make sure you complete ALL FIELDS
  • Attach a photo of your dish
  • Attach a current version of your CV
  • Post the picture on Instagram and tag @eurotoques_ireland using hastag #RisingPastry2026

THE TASK 

  • The recipe for the written entry will be discussed during the interview but will NOT be executed in front of the judges at any point.
  • The purpose of this test is to determine whether you are able to write a coherent recipe and whether you have a sense of costs and portions.
  • Originality will be rewarded.
  • You are required to cook the dish in advance of the interview and send a picture so that you are prepared to answer any questions during the interview.
  • Should you go through to the next stage, you will NOT be asked to cook this recipe necessarily unless you chose to do so and it fits with the theme (the committee will determine specific ingredients), so preparation time is irrelevant for the purpose of this test while its execution and methodology are relevant in terms of the discussion at the interview.
  • When you have written the recipe, read it back and think of yourself as somebody who has never cooked it before. Does it read well? Is it logical?
  • KEEP IT SIMPLE
  • When you read back your recipe title / description think of yourself as a customer in a restaurant? If you saw that description on a menu, and knew nothing else about the dish, would it be enough to entice you to order it?

  • Please note you cannot save the online form to go back to it at a later stage. We suggest you fill out the online form once you have ALL details ready.

    We recommend you write your recipe and costing separately on a word document or excel document and copy and paste into the online form, once you are ready. 

THE JUDGING

  • Candidates will be further shortlisted based on STAGE 2 – WRITTEN TASK
  • Candidates going through to the interviews will be notified as soon as possible after Monday 17th August 2026
  • Please note, the written entry stage of judging is done anonymously. Entry forms are submitted to the panel of judges with a NUMBER ID only. No other information is provided to the judges to ensure equal treatment of all contestants.
  • Your entry is being marked on three aspects:
    • SECTION 1          General recipe presentation
    • SECTION 2          Method description
    • SECTION 3          Costing
  • Each section will be marked out of 10 and averaged to give a total result out of 10
  • The marks for the written entry will NOT be carried forward to the next stages of the competition and will be taken into consideration only IF candidates are on equal scores in any of the following stages, namely the interview, the semi-finals and the finals.
  • Interviews will take place on Zoom on either Monday 24th or Tuesday 25th August 2025.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS MONDAY 17TH AUGUST at 5PM

Rising Pastry Chef 2026 Stage Two Written entry form

  • ABOUT YOU

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY

  • THE TASK – WRITE A RECIPE THAT REFLECTS THIS YEAR’S THEME, “COMMUNITY AT THE TABLE: FROM PLACE TO PLATE”

    Focus on using local produce or adopting a no-waste approach to a product whenever possible. If you wish explain why you chose your dish here:

  • THE DISH

  • Title of dish as you would write it on a menu
  • Petit four, baked good, entremet, dessert
  • Casual or Fine-dining, Gastro pub, Bistro etc

  • THE RECIPE

    The purpose of this test is to determine whether you are able to write a coherent recipe and whether you have a sense of costs and portions. Please note you can write the ingredients and recipe on a word document and copy and paste into the appropriate windows below.
  • Ingredients list and quantities for 4 portions.
  • Please describe the method for preparing, cooking & serving the dish step by step

  • COSTING & PRICE

    Please present an accurate costing of your dish. We suggest you cost all individual ingredients in order to get a sense of the cost per portion. You may do your costing on word or excel tables and copy and paste into the field below or simply list.
  • Please indicate detailed costing per ingredient
  • Please indicate the cost of each portion
  • At what price would you sell the dish in a restaurant

  • ALLERGENS

    Please indicate allergens in the dish
  • Education & Training, Work Experience, Other Skills & Interests, Any other achievements /information relevant to your entry
    Max. file size: 16 MB.
  • Include a picture of the dish or a short video of you making the dish
    Max. file size: 16 MB.
  • Post your dish on Instagram and copy the link here. Please make sure your account is public and not private. PLEASE INSERT THE LINK TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ENTRY HERE. PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAG @eurotoques_ireland and USE #RP2026entry
  • I am a professional chef I wish to be contacted about further stages of the competition I would like to be added to the Euro-Toques mailing list and receive details of other events & activities for chefs organised by Euro-Toques Ireland. (Your contact details will not be shared with anyone else)*