Last chance to enter Hardys Chef of the Year competition

Don't miss your last chance to enter a competition for a licensee and chef to win £5,000 each in Hardys food and wine matching competition.

Hardys wine, in association with Matthew Clark, has launched a competition to find the Hardys Chef of the Year 2007.

The closing date for entries is 31 August.

If you are a pub chef with a fantastic signature dish which wows your

customers and you know a thing or two about wine, then don't miss this amazing opportunity to win £5,000 for yourself.

Licensees should urge their chefs to take part as a fantastic £5,000 is also up for grabs for the winning chef's pub.

To enter, all you have to do is fill out the entry form and submit an original recipe, along with a suggested Hardys wine pairing for your chosen dish. Entrants must also include a few words about why you think you should be one of the four finalists in the cook-off final in London

Once your entry is submitted, your application will be judged by

two-Michelin starred chef Shane Osborn along with a panel of independent judges.

The final will take place on 30 September at Osborn's restaurant Pied a Terre in Charlotte Street in London's West End. Finalists will be asked to prepare their original dish and pair it with a Hardys wine. If your dish is selected, Shane Osborn will then award the title and £5,000 to the winning chef and £5,000 to their pub or restaurant.

Shane is one of London's most innovative chefs and in 2006 his talents as a chef were recognised by the Australian High Commission, awarding him the Outstanding Young Australian of the Year Award.

Osborn has a flair for creating original dishes with intriguing combinations of flavours. His cooking has been given 29/30 by Zagat, the highest rating in Europe, along with 8/10 in the Good Food Guide and 4 AA rosettes. His restaurant also scooped the Reader's Choice award in Restaurant magazine's World's 50 Best Restaurants 2007.

Shane Osborn said: "Here's your chance to prove your true culinary and wine matching skills. Let Hardys wine be your inspiration and let me be the judge."

The four finalists will be selected following a paper judging. Judges will be looking for originality, flair and use of seasonal produce in dishes and of course which are the best matches to a Hardys wine. Entrants can submit recipes for a starter, light meal, main meal or dessert.

Once your entry is submitted, your application will be reviewed by Shane Osborn along with a panel of independent judges.

If you are chosen, Hardys will cover all transportation and accommodation costs to attend the finals on September 30th 2007. The competition is open to professional chefs over the age of 18 working in an on-trade establishment and the closing date is 31 August. All recipes must be the entrant's own creation.

For an entry form and full terms and conditions, visit www.winhardys.com/chef​