The five finalists of North West Young Chef 2013 have been treated to a Master Class with Great British Menu star and Head Chef at 3 rosette Alderley Edge Hotel, Chris Holland.
The young regional chefs battling out for the title, and a place in the National Young Chef of the Year 2013 are Daniel Akrigg (Cumbria), Sam Palmer (Greater Manchester), Lee Brown (Lancashire), Jacques Verite (Merseyside) and Samuel Mairs (Cheshire.)
The master class , held at Essential Cuisine in Winsford, Cheshire, was an opportunity for the young chefs to get some advice and tips ahead of the final which takes place on 13th June at Manchester College, Didsbury.
Chris Holland showed the 5 chefs part of his tasting menu from Alderley Edge Hotel, including Asparagus three ways, with roasted peanuts and morels. His second dish was a jacket potato with cheese and ham, but not as we know it, including parmesan cheese flakes, ham hock terrine and a cream cheese mousse.
Throughout his demonstration, Chris spoke to the chefs openly about his experiences in the industry and gave them valuable advice; “constantly taste, taste, taste the dish, all the time, tasting is the difference between a dish being great and a dish being a flop.”
Talking about local and seasonality of produce, Chris said “we use Cheshire asparagus, as its local, and that means more to me in my kitchen.”
Offering some general advice on working in the industry, Chris said “the most important thing is to go to work and enjoy yourselves; if you stop enjoying yourself then you’re in the wrong industry.”
The finalists will now go on to compete in the final which will take place on 13th June at Manchester College, Fielden Campus in Didsbury. The winner will receive automatic qualification for the National Young Chef of the Year, hosted by Craft Guild of Chefs, which will take place in October at The Restaurant Show, London.
