Finalists announced for Taste Cheshire Young Chef of the Year. #Blog
Stephen Wundke
22nd March 2019
The four finalists who will battle it out on the stage at the Taste Cheshire Food and Drink festival this Easter, to become the Taste Cheshire Young Chef of the Year were announced last night after the final heat was completed at Coleg Cambria
Taste Cheshire CEO, Stephen Wundke said he was thrilled to see the level of capability amongst our young chefs, as he explains “The cooking scene across our restaurants and pubs of Cheshire has never been more vibrant and it is great to know we have our colleges who are bringing along the next wave of outstanding chefs. We were all so impressed with our four finalists and I am intrigued to know who will be crowned champion.”
The chefs were required to produce two identical restaurant standard dishes in 45 minutes, they could be starter, main or dessert and the chefs from the colleges were judged on the originality of the dish, the provenance of the ingredients, technique, presentation and of course taste.
Taste Cheshire Chef Ambassador, Gaile Wundke praised the youngsters, “ It was thrilling to see so many young people, from the ages of 16 upwards cooking to such a high standard. The semi finals were all about pressure, against the clock and knowing they were being judged by outsiders. They did an amazing job and should be proud of their achievements to date. I wish them all the very best in the finals and I am looking forward to judging the final.
The finalists are :
Anna Banasiak
Anna Banasiak, aged 20, who cooked a dish of Pork Tenderloin, Sweet and sour cabbage, fondant potato, a honey glaze sauce and a foam mustard.
Byron Valentine
Byron Valentine aged 17, and his dessert was Rhubarb Jelly, mille chocolate mousse, dark chocolate soil, meringue flowers and chocolate twigs.
Callum Jones
Callum Jones, aged 16, who also did a dessert, which was a deconstructed Cheesecake of White chocolate and lemon with a raspberry coulis
Matthew Norman
Matthew Norman aged 17, who prepared Best end of Welsh Lamb, mange tout, garden peas, asparagus and chantenay carrots.
The fours finalists will cook on Sunday 21st April at the Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Festival, on the main stage, in front of over 300 people where they will be required to produce, again 2 restaurant standard dishes in 45 minutes. Great British Menu judge, Andi Oliver will preside over the finalists and the champion will be crowned and then presented with their prizes at the Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Awards on April 24th at the Pavilion at Chester Racecourse. For more information about the festival go to www.chesterfoodanddrink.co.uk