UK to be represented by The Dysart Petersham Senior Sous Chef, Kamil Nowak
Congratulations, Kamil,
from The Dysart Petersham Team.
We are delighted our Senior Sous Chef, Kamil Nowak, has become the UK winner in the 56th Edition of Le Taittinger Prix Culinaire International and this means he is now representing the UK’s cooking skills in Paris early next year, in a competition considered
“the holy grail for chefs from around the world who wish to focus on enhancing tradition and creativity.” Taittinger
He was chosen by UK Chef judges: André Garrett, Steve Groves, Mark Flannagan, Pascal Aussignac and Michel Roux.
Countries from Europe and the US have also chosen their champions and they will all meet to cook in Paris at the end of January, with the overall winner being announced by Taittinger then. They will cook their submitted dish and will be presented with a mystery dish to cook.
Without overstatement this, along with the Roux Scholarship in the UK, is, in the words of Taittinger:
“For over 50 years, ‘Le Taittinger’ has celebrated the art of French cuisine by recognising the talent of young chefs through an international culinary competition of the highest level. Over the years, this competition has become the holy grail for chefs from around the world who wish to focus on enhancing tradition and creativity. It showcases the effort, passion, profession and excellence of these masters of taste – the same values and spirit which are shared by the Taittinger Champagne House…“
It is particularly pleasing for us that this challenge was established by Taittinger, which, alone among the great Champagne Houses, remains an independent family business, just as The Dysart Petersham is.
The UK Judges set the brief as a very traditional, very challenging, high bourgeois, if not princely, celebratory dish.
Kamil’s submission met the brief, managing to present it with a lightly different touch and presentation, at one and the same time traditional, luxurious, indulgent, modern.
Michel Roux Jr., chef patron of Le Gavroche and president of the UK competition, said:
“It’s always brilliant to see someone continue to challenge themselves. Kamil came runner up last year with a truly excellent dish; this year, he has come back with even more experience and passion that shone through in his dish. I’m so looking forward to following Kamil on his journey to the global final in Paris. Le Taittinger is no easy feat and the talent we see coming through remains exceptionally high – long may we see these extraordinary chefs challenge themselves and continue to push the boundaries of fine dining through competitions like Le Taittinger.”
The iconic Palais Garnier is where the representatives of countries across Europe and the USA will meet to cook and where the winner will be announced, a fitting venue for the worldwide importance of Taittinger and the significance of the Taittinger Prix Culinaire International.
Kamil’s cooking story and interests began as a child, gathering vegetables and herbs from his grandmother’s garden in Poland, foraging in the countryside around and helping her cook that day. His love of nature, growing things and respect for tradition in cooking went from strength to strength after that.
Before coming to England he lived a 15 minute walk from Repty Park, a nature reserve given Unesco status.
Here he lives a 15 minute walk from Richmond Park, designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and works one minute away from it, with Roux Scholar Head Chef, Kenneth Culhane.
Both are magical places, where it is possible to become lost in thought, in ever changing plays of light and shadow, water and reflections, atmospheric, always, in all seasons.
Although only 30 minutes from Mayfair, Kamil chose a historic village in countryside, farm buildings round the corner, the River Thames and water meadows behind us, drawn by the famous view painted by Turner from Richmond Hill down to the River, Petersham Woods and Common land a couple of minutes away and historic Ham House just along the River, where the Trust is recreating the seventeenth century kitchen gardens and growing varieties and herbs in use then for the table and for medicines.
Kamil is helping to create a kitchen garden here, which has provided vegetables, herbs and flowers all through this year, picked just when needed, even as the year reaches its apogée.
The whole Dysart Petersham team wishes Kamil the best of luck in Paris – he has already won the experience of a lifetime, in the company of great chefs from around the World, with a great Champagne House, Taittinger, and in one of the World’s greatest Cities and venues.
Focus, yes, but don’t forget the romance of Paris and Champagne!
