Food and Drink: Would you like to taste success?

Then enter The Independent's competition to find Britain's new food writers

GOOD WRITING, like good cooking, does not need wacky ingredients, nor does it need flashy effects. What is important is a passionate interest in the subject and the ability to describe its essential nature - bringing it alive for the reader.

This competition, launched in memory of Jeremy Round, aims to find writers whose enthusiasm and rigour for all matters culinary match his own. Are you up to the challenge?

The brief

Write an article (1,000 words maximum) on either:

Food for the end of the century

The drink(s) for the end of the century

The prize

The winning writers of each category will have their articles published in The Independent, and to celebrate their success the Fresh Food Co - Britain's very first nationwide organic food delivery service - will send them either a hamper stuffed with delicious organic products, or an organic wine box.

The judges

From The Independent: Simon Kelner, Simon Hopkinson, Caroline Stacey, and Diona Gregory.

The rules

The competition is open to anyone who does not earn their living in the upper echelons of the food writing world. You may enter either or both categories, but each entry must be kept separate. All entries should be typed on one side of A4 sheets of paper, then stapled together and loosely attached to a covering note detailing your name, age, occupation, contact address and telephone number(s). None of this information should appear anywhere on the entry itself. Employees of Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd cannot enter.

Entries must be received by noon on Tuesday 28 September 1999 at The Independent, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL, clearly marked for The Independent Food & Drink Competition. The judges' decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. Independent Newspaper rules apply.