Junior South West Chef of the Year 2014 revealed

Melissa Johnson from The King’s School, Ottery St Mary, Devon has been crowned Junior South West Chef of the Year. The final, hosted at Ashburton Cookery School, Devon, on Saturday, October 4, was a highly competitive event.

Four young chefs aged 11 to 16 won their local heats to compete in the final. They were judged by an expert panel of chefs including Michael Caines MBE, Darrin Hosegrove, Ian Webber and Neil Haydock.

“The standard of cooking from all the Junior Chef finalists was exceptional and all the judges were reassured that the South West’s food industry is in safe hands for the future,” said two starred-Michelin chef, Michael Caines. “It is fantastic to see such young talent and so much passion, commitment and knowledge about regional produce. All of the dishes from the finalists were absolutely delicious and choosing a winner was a tough decision.”

To win the coveted prize, Melissa prepared a dish of roast ark chicken, chicken leg tortellini, smoked bacon, wild mushrooms, garlic and parmesan. The other finalists in the Junior South West Chef of the Year competition were:

*Kyeran Francis, Coln House School, Fairford, Gloucestershire, who cooked loin of pork with scrumpy sauce, candied walnuts, crisp black pudding and hispi cabbage.

*Kieran Westlake, from All Saints Church of England School, Weymouth, Dorset, cooked lamb cutlets with salty beetroot crisps, potato gratin, seasonal vegetables and a lamb and red wine jus.

*Rebecca Winn, Truro High School, Cornwall, cooked Cornish Hake with potato rosti, leek and cabbage with bacon, Butternut squash purée and parsley sauce.

The final of the South West’s Best Dish class, sponsored by Ashburton Cookery School, also took place on Saturday. Defending his 2013 title was Steve Ashworth from Taunton who prepared Ox cheek cobbler cooked in beer stock and bone marrow, with crispy onions, fondant potato, spinach and baby pickled vegetables. The four other finalists included Oonagh Egerton from Salisbury who cooked herb crusted rack of lamb; Alexandra Jenkins from Honiton who made Monkfish rolls; Benjamin Martin from Penryn whose dish was jerked Cornish game hen and Beverley Milner Simonds from Burnham on Sea who cooked roast fillet of veal.

The winner of the South West’s Best Dish class, along with winners of the Professional, Young Professional and Student Chef classes will be announced at the awards presentation dinner on Monday, October 27.