Punchbowl Inn chef wins North West Chef of the Year

The Staff Canteen
Arthur Quin, a 19 year-old chef de partie from the Punchbowl Inn and Restaurant in Cumbria, has been crowned as the best young cook in the North West, taking Essential Cuisine’s 2015 ‘North West Young Chef’ crown. 96 Arthur dessert close upArthur, the youngest finalist, was described by the judges as “immensely talented” with “fabulously turned out food” at the cook off, held yesterday at Manchester College. With ‘local’ and ‘seasonal’ the key watchwords of the competition, Arthur’s winning three-course menu consisted of an asparagus with poached egg and hollandaise sauce starter, Maryport line caught cod, cauliflower, wild garlic and cockleaves farm chicken main, and a dessert of soaked coffee sponge with pea, Armagnac and Lyth Valley honey. Arthur said: “I’m shocked, but obviously over the moon to win. I was nervous in the run-up but I just kept practising over and over again – that helped to overcome the nerves.” The judging panel consisted of Chairman Brian Mellor; Nigel Crane, managing director of Essential Cuisine; Matt Davies, vice chairman of the British Culinary Federation; Steven Doherty, chef proprietor of First Floor Café; and Simon Shaw, chef patron of El Gato Negro.47 Brian Mellor said: “From the heats to the final, it’s heartening to see how much effort and energy each competitor put into their menus, especially in the face of a busy working schedule. Once again the competition has served to prove that the North West is alive with cooking talent.” Steven Doherty said: “Arthur doesn’t realise how good he is. He’s an immensely talented young chef.” Arthur will now go on to represent the North West, gaining an automatic seed into the semi-finals of the 2015 Young National Chef of the Year Competition. The other finalists were: Leo Deglane, 21, chef de partie, Carden Park Hotel (Cheshire) Rachel Prendergrast, 20, apprentice chef, Abode Hotel, Manchester (Greater Manchester) Louise Williams, 20, pastry chef, The Tavern in Mold (Flintshire) Daniel Heffy, 21, chef de partie, The Art School in Liverpool (Merseyside) Cameron Norris, 21, chef de partie, Stanley House Hotel and Spa (Lancashire)
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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 8th May 2015

Punchbowl Inn chef wins North West Chef of the Year