The Great Sausage Roll Off | Winner

John Grabecki, head chef at investments company BNY Mellon, has been crowned this year's Great Sausage Roll Off winner. John’s winning roll was filled with black pudding, rabbit leg, loin, maple syrup and Bayonne ham and served with rabbit liver parfait, offal crumb and powdered potatoes. John said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have won The Great Sausage Roll Off. I was up against some tough competition and it was a privilege to cook alongside the other worthy contestants. It is great to see how popular these competitions are becoming and it is fantastic to see such a wide range of creations from the chefs.” There were 19 chefs who competed with their unique creations at the Red Lion in Barnes last week and second place went to Jill Winston from Park Tavern in Chichester, with her classic pub sausage roll. James Strawbridge from Posh Pasty Company came third with his venison roll in a hand crimped short crust rosemary pastry with Cornish Orchards mulled cider. The judges who included Gary Usher, head chef and owner of the Sticky Walnut; Edd Kimber (first winner of the BBC Two series The Great British Bake Off 2010); Charley Boorman (runner up of Celebrity Masterchef 2014); gave Special Commendations to Kevin Jones, Swan Inn, Staines for his white lop-eared pork sausage roll with stick pig tails, Fuller’s Black Pudding and Fuller’s malt crackling served with Cornish Orchards Pear Cider Preserve. The second commendation went to Eden Allsworth, East Kent College. The 16 year old impressed the panel with her “Boyden Gate Bake” featuring handmade sausage meat and black pudding with mango chutney and confit red onion. Angus McKean, co-manager of The Red Lion, said: “It is great to see the Sausage Roll Off getting bigger and bigger each year and its success is a testament to the calibre of the chefs we have participating in the competition. I am delighted that John won, thoroughly well deserved. “2015 saw some inspired ideas and extraordinary talent. There was a high level of comradery amongst competitors most of whom were comparative strangers, which made the evening a truly magical event.” The sausage rolls were auctioned off to the audience, in aid of Shooting Star Chase. A total of £220 was raised for the children's hospice charity, who care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. By Samantha Wright

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