The competition that has been running for six years has two categories – Traditional and Unconventional. Traditional entries must include a whole egg wrapped in minced meat and coated in breadcrumbs while Unconventional entries can – as long as they contain an egg – be created in any way, using whatever ingredients the chef chooses.
Competition founder and Young’s manager Oisín Rogers will host the competition at the Canonbury Tavern, Islington, north London, with journalist host Joe Warwick.
The deadline for applications closed on Saturday 7 January and shortlisted contestants are expected to unveiled this week.
During the evening, a panel of judges that include The Guardian’s Bob Granleese; chef and owner of Kiln Soho, Ben Chapman; and Restaurant magazine editor, Stefan Chomka; will taste the eggs and make the final decision on the winners.
Finalists can come from a range of outlets including restaurants, pubs and cafés.
The challenge, which first took place in 2011, has seen pubs often take the top accolade. In its inaugural year, the Devonshire Arms in Chiswick, west London, won with its Haggis and Burford Recipe.
In 2012, the Bladebone Inn in Bucklebury, Berkshire, took the top accolade with its duck egg Scotch egg with truffle layer and Parma ham breadcrumb. It beat Heston Blumenthal’s Hinds Head at Bray, Berkshire, into second place.
The award was won by the British Larder in 2013, while Michael Harrison of the Cornwall Project, which was resident at the Adam & Eve pub in Homerton, east London, could not cope with the increased demand following its 2014 win.
In 2015, chef Calum Franklin from Holborn Dining Room, central London, won best Traditional egg with his white pudding and sausage creation with best Unconventional going to Nick Maloney of west London pub the Princess Victoria for his Thai Scotch egg.