Two new regional winners have added their names to the contenders who will be taking part in the finals of the Essential Cuisine North West Young Chef Competition 2013.
Sam Palmer, a 22-year-old chef de partie from the Abode Manchester Hotel, won the Greater Manchester heat followed by Lee Brown, the 21-year-old head chef of the Brew House in Bolton, who won the Lancashire heat the following day.
Sam from High Peak in Derbyshire and Lee from Blackburn, Lancashire have booked their places in the final on 13th June alongside 18-year-old
On winning, Sam, who had to battle through two fire alarms during the cook off, said he was “buzzing” with excitement and surprised to have won as he couldn’t see how well the other contenders were doing.
Lee, who narrowly missed out on a place in last year’s final said: “I can’t believe I’ve won. I tried so hard and did lots of practice. I’ve been really nervous; I’ve not slept!”
The general standard of cooking over both heats impressed the judges. Judge and managing director of Essential Cuisine, Nigel Crane said: “It always amazes me how the young chefs bring so much imagination to our competition. They really do their homework when it comes to the ingredients, where they come from and who supplies them.”
Competing at the Manchester College, Fielden Campus on 17th April, Sam Palmer impressed the judges with a starter of salad of roasted quail, Cherry Orchard Farm asparagus, Cumbrian air-dried ham and new season morels. His main course was butter roasted Fleetwood cod with garlic puree, fricassee of peas, broad beans, new season onions, crisp Goosnargh chicken wings and Jersey royal foam. He completed his menu with lemongrasss crème brulee, strawberries and strawberry sorbet.
Lee, competing at Blackpool and the Fylde College in Blackpool, cooked his way to the finals with pan seared Morecombe Bay sea trout with beetroot risotto and carpaccio of beetroot. His main course was honey glazed duck, fondant potatoes, potato-wrapped duck lollipop, beurre noisette broccoli puree, carrot ribbons and wilted wild garlic. He capped it off with a duck egg custard tart served with a selection of poached, pureed and jellied rhubarb.
The Merseyside heat will take place on 24th April at Southport College and the Cheshire heat on 25th April at South Cheshire College, Crewe. The final of the North West Young Chef Competition 2013 will be held on 13th June at Manchester College in Didsbury.
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