Maple magic helps Jo scoop UCB Young Chef of the Year

The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ)

The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ)

Standard Supplier 26th January 2018
The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ)

Maple magic helps Jo scoop UCB Young Chef of the Year

Schoolgirl Jo Dainton was crowned winner of the University College Birmingham Young Chef of the Year 2018 competition after an all-female final.

Jo, aged 16, a pupil at Ellowes Hall Sports College, Dudley, was praised for her clever use of ingredients, exceptional technique and the elegant presentation of her dishes following the 90-minute cook-off at University College Birmingham (UCB).

The competition, supported by Maple from Canada, challenges young people aged 14 to 16 to cook a main course and a dessert, with one of the dishes incorporating pure Canadian maple syrup.

Jo’s award-winning menu comprised chorizo-crusted baked cod with a potato rösti and tarragon butter beans followed by maple mascarpone filled profiteroles with a maple salted caramel sauce.

Her prizes included a new iPad Pro, £500 of cookery vouchers for her school, and a goodie bag of products courtesy of Maple from Canada. She also won a morning shadowing TV chef Glynn Purnell at his flagship Birmingham restaurant, Purnell’s, followed by a special celebration lunch with three guests.

Jo, who entered the competition last year, said: “It is my last year at school and I wanted to try to get placed. I have entered competitions in the past and never finished first, second or third, so it’s unbelievable to win.”

The talented young chef said she had used Canadian maple syrup in her GCSE studies, when pupils had to find alternatives to sugar to make cupcakes.

Alongside Glynn, the Young Chef of the Year judges included UCB graduate Ben Ebbrell, who runs SORTEDfood, one of the world’s most popular online cookery channels with 1.8 million YouTube subscribers; David Colcombe, UK chef ambassador for Maple from Canada; Peter Griffiths, of the British Culinary Federation; and UCB chef lecturer Gary Goldsmith.

Glynn said: “Once again, this has been a fantastic competition, from the enthusiasm and dedication of the young people to the standard of the food.”

Chef Colcombe said: “It’s great to see a new generation of young chefs coming through, and great to see an all-female final. The challenge now is to support young people, both male and female, as they seek to pursue careers in the hospitality industry.”

Neil Rippington, dean of UCB’s College of Food, said: “The finalists have showcased some great skills and Jo’s cooking, and presentation were of an exceptionally high standard. We are delighted that she will be joining UCB next year as part of our Royal Academy of Culinary Arts chef apprenticeship scheme.”

Ayesha Mukhtar, 14, of Lyndon School, Solihull was second and Millie Fellows, also 14, of Ridgewood High School, Stourbridge, was third.

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.