in brief

Last call for sous chefs wanting to enter the 2000 Rioja Sous Chef Bursary and be in with the chance to win a trip to the Rioja wine region of Spain and a week's work experience with a top Spanish chef.

Entrants must submit a three-course menu for four, with each dish paired with a wine from the Rioja Wine Exporters group. One dish must also include Rioja as an ingredient. Finalists selected through a paper judging round will be asked to cook their menu in the Garde d'Or Live Theatre at Hotelympia 2000. Call 020 7409 0494 for further details.

A week's work experience, a cheque for £1,000 and the Young Scottish Salmon Chef for the Millennium title is the prize awaiting chefs aged 17-22, working or training in Scotland, who are keen to display their understanding of salmon. To enter this new competition, devised by fish-feed supplier EWOS in conjunction with Nick Nairn of Nairn's restaurant, Glasgow, chefs must create an original starter or main-course dish for four people using Scottish farmed salmon for a maximum cost of £10 (starter) or £15 (main course). Entries must be submitted to EWOS by 15 December. For further information, call Nicki Holmyard on 01866 822454.