Cheshire Young Chef of the Year 2014 is crowned

Essential Cuisine

Essential Cuisine

Standard Supplier 9th May 2014
Essential Cuisine

Essential Cuisine

Standard Supplier

Cheshire Young Chef of the Year 2014 is crowned

Ben Costello, 20, from The Chester Grosvenor has been crowned Cheshire Young Chef of the Year 2014, after wowing the judges with his three course local and seasonal menu.

Ben took part in the two and a half hour cook off at South Cheshire College on 6th May 2014, as part of Essential Cuisine’s search to find the North West Young Chef of the Year.

On winning, Ben said “I can’t believe it! The quality of the chefs competing today was really high, I wasn’t expected to win against them. Some of these guys have been cheffing for years, but I’ve only been doing it for just over a year.”

“I wanted to enter to test myself, to see if I was good enough. Hopefully this competition will give me the confidence to believe in myself and my skills.”

Ben faced tough competition on the day from Adrian Kilby from The Old Hall, Joseph Jones from Carden Park Hotel, Nigel Hankey from Grill on the Square, and Samuel Whittaker from Crewe Hall Hotel.

Showing evidence of regional and seasonal ingredients, Ben began his menu with oysters, cauliflower, charred baby leeks and coastal herbs.

His main course was wood pigeon, spelt risotto, celeriac puree, cider jus and watercross. Ben completed his menu with goats yogurt mousse, poached field rhubarb, rapeseed oil sponge and gingerbread granola.

Judges on the day were Chairman of Judges Brian Mellor, Essential Cuisine’s Manufacturing Business Account Controller Phil Leech, and Great British Menu finalist Mark Ellis from Peckforton Castle.

Also sponsored by CHR Foodservice Equipment, the competition which is in its 12th year seeks to find young talent in the North West.

Ben will now go on to attend a master class with an acclaimed chef to hone skills with the industry’s best, before going on to compete against the other regional winners in the final of North West Young Chef Competition, which will be held at Manchester College on 18th June 2014.

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