Future Chef cookery contest held at the Da Vinci Restaurant (From This is The West Country)

Future Chef cookery contest held at the Da Vinci Restaurant

8:00pm Thursday 26th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

YEOVIL College’s Da Vinci Restaurant has hosted the local finals of the 2009-10 FutureChef cookery competition for young people aged 14 to 16.

Gifted pupils from three South West schools took part in the competition.

Elliott Healey, 15, of Crispin School, Street, Alice Dingle, 14, of Sidcot School, Winscombe, and Maz Ahmed, 14, of St Katherine’s School, Bristol, had just 90 minutes to prepare and cook a hot main course and a cold dessert for two people.

Each contestant had an overall budget of £6.

The young chefs were judged on their workmanship, creativity and presentation, the balance of the menu they had designed and the composition, taste and flavour of their culinary creations.

Level 3 Professional Cookery student Jody Groves and Yeovil College lecturers Steven Lowrie and David Hammond had the difficult job of choosing between the meals.

After much deliberation, they selected Elliott Healey’s caramelised pork stuffed with apple, apricot and onion served with fondant potatoes, braised leeks, beetroot puree and sweet and sour jus and his dessert dish of chocolate orange fondant served with whipped orange cream as the winner.

Judge David Hammond said “Well done to all of the contestants today.

"It’s really hard to come into a kitchen you don’t know and hit the ground running. That’s a pressure in itself, so for Elliott, Maz and Alice to produce these superb dishes is highly commendable.

"They’re all very complex dishes from a chef’s perspective, requiring a lot of work and multitasking skills.

"All of the contestants clearly worked hard at their planning and I would be very happy to serve any of this food to customers in the Da Vinci restaurant.”

This is the second time in a row that Elliott has won his local final.

He said: “Winning last year was a real confidence boost.

"I’m now much more knowledgeable and more confident. I’m very keen to be a chef and get as much experience as possible.

"I’ve already got a job with the Olive Mill in Chilton Polden (near Bridgwater) and am going to carry on training.

"I didn’t want to serve the same menu as last year – I like experimenting and making modern food. I love watching cookery programmes. They give me lots of ideas which I then mix up in my head.”

Jason Duffield, Elliott’s food technology teacher, said “I am very proud of Elliott. He’s worked really hard and he’s remained completely focussed.

"I’ve told him already that winning this means he has to give me an A at GCSE!”

Alice Dingle and Maz Ahmed were also highly praised by the judges.

Alice created a spinach and ricotta cannelloni with tomato sauce, followed by chocolate fondant with raspberries.

Maz’s entries were butter chilli chicken with fragrant rice and kheer surprise with vanilla snaps.

Maz said: “I really enjoyed today. I’m relatively new to these dishes, it was my first trip to Yeovil and my first time in a professional kitchen, so I was a bit nervous.

"It’s something I could get used to though. I like to learn how to cook new dishes.”

Alice said: “I’m pleased with how today went, it was good.

"I’ve always enjoyed cookery and am currently doing my GCSE. I like it as a subject, but I’m not sure about doing it for a living!”

Ralph Pitts, the Springboard Regional manager for Wales and West, organised this stage of the competition.

He said: “This year is the tenth anniversary of the FutureChef contest and it’s going from strength to strength.

"More schools than ever are interested in taking part, which is fantastic. We’ve come back to Yeovil College for the second time this year and we’ve received such a good welcome.

"It’s great to have the staff here involved because they’re really switched on. They’re not just teachers, they also know and understand the industry and what it’s all about.”

• Print
• Email
• Share