Winner announced for Staffordshire Young Chef of the Year 2016

Essential Cuisine

Essential Cuisine

Standard Supplier 12th July 2016
Essential Cuisine

Essential Cuisine

Standard Supplier

Winner announced for Staffordshire Young Chef of the Year 2016

On 4th July at Stafford College, Lewis O’Carroll from The Moat House in Acton Trussell was crowned Staffordshire Young Chef of the Year 2016. The competition, sponsored and supported by Essential Cuisine and Staffordshire Chef’s Forum saw 8 young chefs battle it out for the title.

The 22 year old winner from Coven, is a former Stafford College student, and is now a senior chef de partie at the hotel which is part of the Lewis Partnership Group.

Competitors each had to produce a 3 course menu for 2 people consisting of a cod starter, a lamb main course featuring any Essential Cuisine products (Premier Lamb Jus, Lamb Glace, Lamb Stock,) and a dessert of the chefs choice, with a total food cost of no more than £26.

Judges included our very own development chef Jonathan Harvey-Barnes who judged alongside Eric Bruce (chef patron of Restaurant Severn,) Stuart McLeod (Zuidam,) and Nathan Eades (chef at Michelin star Simpsons Restaurant.)

Lewis O'Carroll DishesFor winning the contest, Lewis will now be going on a week-long placement at Michelin-starred restaurant Simpson’s in Birmingham with accommodation, a one-year membership to the British Culinary Federation, a set of knives and a £150 reward.

The Moat House will also receive £500 worth of crockery from Churchill for supporting Lewis with his development and mentoring in the lead up to the competition.

Lewis said: “It means a lot to be crowned Staffordshire’s young chef of the year.

“I’ve worked so hard to get where I am in my career and it’s great to show people how capable I am and how much I’ve progressed with my skills.”

Eric Bruce, head judge for the competition, added: “Lewis won the competition because of his wonderful finesse and consistency with the dishes in his menu.

“I have judged a number of competitions over the years and the overall standard and quality of food which was put to us today should make every competitor proud.”

Lewis’ winning menu was cod with crushed peas, scraps and a tartar sauce for starter; best end of lamb with goats’ curd, aubergine puree, confit potatoes, tomatoes, and lamb jus; and a dessert of white chocolate pannacotta, strawberry and basil sorbet, and black pepper honeycomb.

Lewis competed against 7 other talented young chefs; Jack McGinley (The 3 Horseshoes Country Inn,) Ben Manifold (Red Lion,) Sorcha Burgess (Stafford College,) Alex Waldron (Whittington Heath Club,) Finley Shapland (Burton & South Derbyshire College,) Rebecca Slater (MOD Stafford) and Charlotte Fenney (The Orchard Dining.)

From all of us here at Essential Cuisine, we’d like to wish congratulations to Lewis, and a big well done to the 7 finalists. An amazing achievement which should be recognised.

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