Artisan food - The on-line magazine for lovers of food in the Lake District and Cumbria - The Artisan-food.com Junior Chef award for best use of local produce

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Posted by: admin	Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Each year I attend the final of the Cumbria Junior Chef competition. The competition is organised by Kendal College, namely Mike Mounfield and Simon Hansen. It is for Junior chefs aged from 12 to 16 years old. As we sponsor the competition, this year we decided to provide a cup for the Junior Chef, who in the opinion of the judges, made the "best use of local produce". There were 12 finalists from five schools around the county, each chef had to prepare three courses in three hours. The sweet course was designated as Sticky Toffee Pudding, but they could choose the other two. Last years winner, Michael Southcott 's baked salmon starter. Considering the ages of the chefs, the food and presentation was excellent. Paul Gibson's and Michael Southcott dishes in particular were all presented with great style from what I saw. Potted Char from Charlotte Bunting of Queen Elizabeth school. The range of dishes on display was wide and varied, from Potted Char and Potted Shrimp, to Butternut squash soup, souffle and Elderflower sorbet to name just a few. The judges Mike Mounfield, Gillian Cowburn and Simon Hansen (l-r) Each judge scored each chef's attempts in seven different categories, there were prizes for the best starter, main course and sweet, as well as an overall winner. An excellent set of dishes from Kayleigh Jones of Dallam School Everybody had to present their version of Sticky toffee pudding, it was great to see such variety and unique ideas coming out. Sticky Toffee pudding....mark 1 Sticky Toffee pudding....mark 2 Sticky Toffee pudding....mark 3 After all the cooking is completed the 12 sets of food can be seen by the family and supporters of the young chefs. Once the judges have finished their deliberations, the results are awaited with baited breath. Each chef got a prize for reaching the final and the overall winner, David France (Queen Elizabeth school ) was handed his cup by The Westmorland Gazette's food writer Gillian Cowburn. Other prizes went to - Charlotte Bunting (QES) for the best pudding, Sarah Mcnee (St Bees school) for the best starter and Paul Gibson (QES) for the best main course. David's three dishes, Duck liver terrine, venison and you know what the third one is! I sat with the judges during their deliberations, so I know what a hard task they had to decide the winners. I was given the feedback about each chefs ingredients, where they came from and what their understanding was about "local produce". One unanimous comment from the judges was that it was great to see a move away from using supermarkets and a move twoards the speciality shops and for home grown produce. However, the choice in my mind was made pretty easy after I started to hear that one chef had caught her own Char on Lake Windermere, had persuaded her father to shoot a pheasant for her, and whilst they were out shooting it, she picked her potatoes from the field. The damsons were from their own tree and the bacon she purchased was from Peter Gott. Ok, so there was no doubt in this chefs mind as to where her produce came from. Move over Thomasina, Charlotte's in town. Charlotte Bunting, the Artisan-food.com Junior chef winner for best use of local produce. Oh and Charlotte makes a pretty mean Sticky toffee pudding too, that's what the other cup is for. A really enjoyable evening and well done to all the chefs who took part, it's a lot of pressure for them. Martin

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Re: The Artisan-food.com Junior Chef award for best use of local produce

By samphirerocks on Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Having had the pleasure of working closely with these outstandingly enthusiastic young Chefs, it gives great joy to know that our youngsters really appreciate the finer qualities of food. The standards displayed by all entrants was very high, and the competition took place within a real atmosphere of comradeship, obviously founded on the principles of good honest cooking and a passion for food. Wishing all finalists a long and enjoyable culinary experience.

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