FutureChef

Inspiring the Next Generation of Chefs

Supporting young culinary talent and helping shape the future of hospitality.

Future Chef

At Country Valley Foods, we’re passionate about supporting the next generation of chefs and encouraging young people to explore the opportunities available within the hospitality industry.

As proud members of the Country Range Group, we’re delighted that our own-label brand, Country Range, is the headline sponsor of Springboard FutureChef for 2026/27.

Through this partnership, we’re helping to inspire young talent, develop essential skills and encourage the next generation to pursue a career in food and hospitality.

What is Springboard FutureChef?

Springboard FutureChef is a UK-wide cooking competition for 12–16 year olds. It brings together schools, students and professional chefs to help young people build their cooking skills and confidence and discover careers in hospitality.

From school heats to the National Final, students show off their creativity, learn from industry professionals and take their first steps towards a future in food.

How does the competition work?

The competition takes place throughout the academic year, with students progressing through four stages.

Stage 1
School Heats

Students begin their journey by competing within their schools, demonstrating their cooking skills and creativity. Successful participants are selected to represent their school at the next stage.

Stage 2
Local Finals

Students compete against other aspiring chefs from their local area, developing their skills and gaining valuable experience under competition conditions.

Stage 3
Regional Finals

Successful competitors advance to regional finals, where they refine their techniques, develop their menus and showcase their abilities with support from professional chef mentors.

Stage 4
National Final

The UK’s most promising young chefs come together for the prestigious National Final, preparing dishes for a panel of industry professionals and competing for the title of Springboard FutureChef Champion.

Why we're supporting FutureChef

At Country Valley, we work with chefs, restaurants, schools and caterers across the North, so we know how much our industry depends on new talent.

Sparking a love of food early can lead to rewarding careers. That’s why we’re proud to support FutureChef, which connects education with industry and gives young people the chance to learn, grow and find their potential.

Students & Schools - Get Involved!

Have a passion for cooking? FutureChef could be your first step towards a career in hospitality.

Whether you’re a student who loves cooking or a teacher looking to inspire your class, FutureChef offers an opportunity to develop skills, gain confidence and experience the excitement of competitive cooking.

By taking part, students can:

Develop practical cooking skills and techniques.

Learn from experienced professional chefs.

Build confidence, creativity and teamwork.

Discover career opportunities within hospitality.

Represent their school at local, regional and national level.

We’re keen to encourage schools and aspiring young chefs across the North East to take part.

Interested in getting involved? Get in touch with our team to find out more.

Professional Chefs - Help Inspire Future Talent

Have a passion for cooking? FutureChef could be your first step towards a career in hospitality. Your knowledge and experience could help shape the next generation of chefs.

We’re inviting professional chefs and hospitality businesses across the North East to get involved with Springboard FutureChef and share their expertise with aspiring young talent.

There are several ways you can support the programme:

Chef Mentoring – Help students develop their cooking techniques, confidence and understanding of professional kitchens.

Competition Judging – Support local and regional competitions by providing feedback and encouragement.

School Engagement – Share your industry experience through demonstrations, career talks and educational activities.

By bringing together professional chefs, local schools and young talent, we can help create valuable opportunities and inspire more young people to consider a career in hospitality.

Interested in supporting FutureChef? We’d love to hear from you.

Supporting the Future
of Hospitality

Developing the next generation of chefs is something we believe the whole industry has a part to play in.

Through our involvement with Country Range and Springboard FutureChef, we’re looking forward to supporting young talent, building connections between education and industry, and helping create a stronger future for hospitality.

Get Involved!

Students & Schools

Chef Professionals

Need help ?

If you require any assistance completing the form or have any questions regarding Christmas ordering, please contact your sales representative or our telesales team.