Competition Details
How To Enter
All you need to do is make some Chelsea Buns, photograph them and either post the photo on Instagram using the hashtag #worldchelseabunawards and tag in @world.chelsea.bun.awards or simply email us your photograph. We also invite all entrants to make a donation to the chosen charity.
Entry Deadline: 5pm on Friday 7th May 2021
Enter your Chelsea Bun photographs into one of three categories:
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Children (under 18) - Prize: Bespoke Partridges Hamper filled with delicious treats;
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Adults – Prize: Bespoke Partridges Hamper including Partridges Chelsea Flower Gin;
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Business Professionals – Prize: Bespoke Partridges Sharing Hamper including Partridges Champagne.
All winners will also receive a Partridges Certificate, a World Chelsea Bun Awards Winners’ Apron from Initially London and the overall winner will become ‘Best Chelsea Bun Baker 2021’ and will be awarded a £100 Gift Voucher from Merci Maman.
Welcome to the
World Chelsea Bun Awards
Bake-Off Competition 2021 Hosted by Partridges in Celebration of World Chelsea Bun Day
On Saturday 8th May Royal Warrant Holder, Partridges of Sloane Square, is hosting the third annual World Chelsea Bun Awards to celebrate World Chelsea Bun Day. Due to the Coronavirus, the World Chelsea Bun Awards will once again be held online and it’s FREE to enter.
The Judges
The judges will include Regis Negrier, Group Executive Pastry Chef at Corbin & King, including Colbert; James Little, Chelsea Pensioner; Caroline Pardy, Trustee of The Children's Surgery Foundation and John Shepherd, Owner & Managing Directory of Partridges. Judging will take place on Saturday 8th May at 3pm. The competition is free to enter but entrants are requested to make a donation to The Children's Surgery Foundation.
Chef Regis Negrier says... "Traditionally, Chelsea buns are made of an enriched yeasted dough with raisins and glazed with sugar syrup. Being a gentleman in my late 50s, I am a little reluctant to see traditional recipes being sacrificed to creativity and innovation as too often they seldom live up to expectations unless you make them yourself.
In my opinion, as long as we keep this in mind, I am all for twisting the recipe a little to obtain a better texture and taste. For example, adding an extra egg or a little more butter will keep the dough softer when baked; macerating the raisins in advance with a little rum or a light vanilla syrup will add moisture; glazing the top with honey syrup or a hint of cinnamon will excite the palate. The most important, in my opinion, is to serve them still warm from the oven or at least eat them on the same morning that they have been baked.
It is gratifying to make them at home especially when you compare them to the ones produced by big factories. Too often they lack freshness and character."
John Shepherd, Owner and Managing Directory of Partridges says... “The first Chelsea Bun was created around 1700 by Richard Hand close to Partridges store in Duke of York Square, Chelsea. Richard, known as Captain Bun, ran The Old Chelsea Bun House which was famous for its Chelsea Buns and counted King George II, King George III and their families amongst its customers. We are delighted to hold the World Chelsea Bun Awards for the third year running and hope they will once again revive the baking of Chelsea Buns in the area and around the world as well as raising funds and awareness for our chosen charity, The Children's Surgery Foundation.
As a judge of this year’s online competition, I am very much looking forward to seeing the range and variety of Chelsea Buns which are entered. We are hoping to receive entries from all over the country and all over the world and I expect that people will add popular local ingredients as well as ingredients which match with their own dietary preferences and creative twists, resulting in a rich assortment of Chelsea Buns.”
Guest Chef Judge
2021
Regis Negrier
Group Executive Pastry Chef at Corbin & King, including Cobert in Chelsea
Regis started his career in France working in boulangeries, patisseries and Michelin-starred restaurants. He has worked extensively throughout the world in Lausanne, Milan, Mauritius, Frankfurt, Seoul and Beijing working for the Forte, Hilton and Kempinski groups. In August 2005, Regis joined Corbin & King as Head Pastry Chef for The Wolseley. He is now based at The Delaunay in the same role and has since established the Pastry team for the Group, too.
History of The Chelsea Bun
Chelsea Buns are a type of currant bun traditionally made from a rich yeast dough flavoured with lemon peel, cinnamon or mixed spice. The first Chelsea Bun was created around 1700 by Richard Hand, proprietor of The Old Chelsea Bun House, who was apparently known as Captain Bun!
The Chelsea Bun House, which was demolished in 1839, is thought to have been located between Pimlico Green and Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea and was famous for its Chelsea Buns. It also did a roaring trade in hot cross buns at Easter and was patronised by customers including King George II, King George III and their families.
About Partridges
The independent family-run food store was founded in 1972 in Sloane Square and in 1994 was granted a Royal Warrant as Grocers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
In 1998 a second Partridges shop opened on Gloucester Road, Kensington and in 2004 the original shop was relocated to Duke of York Square, Chelsea where it includes outdoor seating.
In 2014 Partridges launched 'Startisans' to help ‘Start-Up Food & Drink’ artisans and operates pop-up Shepherd’s Markets around London including the vibrant and successful Saturday Market each weekend near its flagship store on Duke of York Square, Chelsea.
In 2019 Partridges launched the World Chelsea Bun Awards to revive the baking of Chelsea Buns in the area and help raise funds and awareness for a local charity.
The Charity
The Children's Surgery Foundation
All donations will go to The Children’s Surgery Foundation to support its debut campaign which aims to ensure that intravenous access is a more efficient and less intimidating procedure for young patients and their families. The charity is hoping to raise sufficient funds to purchase an ultrasound vein finder for every paediatric surgical department in the UK. The money raised from the World Chelsea Bun Awards will go towards supporting this campaign.
Previously known as the Chelsea Children’s Hospital Charity, the charity has been re-launched as The Children’s Surgery Foundation, reflecting the national scope of its work. Working in partnership with the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, The Children's Surgery Foundation enhances children’s surgical care nationwide through the provision of advanced technology to improve clinical care, and support surgical training and research.
Guest Chef Judge
2019 & 2020
Michelin Star Chef Phil Howard
Owner of Elystan Street, Chelsea
Phil’s life as a chef started at Roux Restaurants in 1988, having decided not to pursue a career in Microbiology, a degree which he attained at the University of Kent. From there he moved on to train under Marco Pierre White at Harvey’s and Simon Hopkinson at Bibendum.
He opened The Square with Nigel Platts Martin in 1991 and remained at the helm for 25 years – with his food enjoying huge consumer success and great critical acclaim holding two Michelin stars for 17 years. In 2016 Phil Howard and Rebecca Mascarenhas opened Elystan Street in Chelsea and in 2019 it was awarded a Michelin star.
2021 Gallery
The 2019 Awards
Contact Us
Partridges, World Chelsea Bun Awards 2021
We would love to hear from you so do please get in touch with any queries or ideas you have.
PARTRIDGES FLAGSHIP STORE LOCATION & OPENING HOURS:
Partridges, 2-5 Duke of York Square, Chelsea, London SW3 4LY
Store Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 9pm.
DUKE OF YORK SQUARE FINE FOOD MARKET:
Saturdays 10am – 4pm