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We are incredibly proud to celebrate Nikoletta Theofylaktidou who has made it to the final of The Roux Scholarship—one of the most prestigious competitions in the culinary world.
At Restaurant Associates, we believe that continuous learning and professional development are at the heart of culinary excellence. The Roux Scholarship embodies this philosophy, offering an unparalleled opportunity for chefs to refine their craft, push creative boundaries, and learn from some of the industry’s best.
Nikoletta’s achievement reflects the dedication, talent and passion that drive our teams every day. In her own words: “Getting through to the finals of the Roux Scholarship is one of my biggest achievements so far. Competing alongside owners and head chefs of Michelin star restaurants is a very exciting but also a challenging opportunity which I am really looking forward to.
“When I heard my name being announced as one of the finalists I was completely overwhelmed with joy. The Roux Scholarship is such a prestigious competition and to make to the finals is a huge honour. I have practised my dish and elements of it quite a few times beforehand but also a lot of basic pastry recipes. Practice is key and hard work pays off.
“I wouldn’t have done it though without the support I received from my head chef Stacey Harris and senior sous chef Daniel Harding for holding down the fort whilst Stacey and I were at the regional finals. The team as a whole is truly inspirational and each individual helped me in different ways.
“Now I am doing a lot of research on classical French dishes and techniques but also the honorary judge of this year’s final Elena Arzak. The next step is to nail as many recipes as I can, we are all going to turn up on the day not knowing what we have to cook so anything can happen. I feel incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I am ready to give it everything I’ve got.”
The final will take place in April and we wish Nikoletta and the other five finalists the very best of luck!