An incredible standard of cooking was on display at the finals of the South West Chef of the Year competition at Exeter College on Monday 29th October.
Finalists in both the Professional and Young Professional classes were presented with a mystery box of ingredients 15 minutes before the class and asked to prepare a main course and dessert.
The winners were announced at a presentation dinner the same evening at ABode Exeter, hosted by Michael Caines and Taste of the West.
Many congratulations to the following:
South West Professional Chef of the Year
Michael Tweedie, Junior Sous Chef at Lucknam Park, Bath
Michael's winning dishes:
Main course: Roasted Turbot, mushroom purée, crushed celeriac and celeriac fondant with a mushroom foam
Dessert: Vanilla panna cotta with caramel jelly, hazelnuts, apples and pears
South West Young Professional Chef of the Year
Elly Wentworth, Demi Chef de Partie, Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe, Wiltshire
Elly’s winning dishes:
Main course: Pan fried Turbot, roasted salsify, celeriac fondant and a garlic and parsley red wine sauce
Dessert: Apple and vanilla frangipane with pear purée and whipped crème fraîche
South West Home Cook of the Year
(Held on Saturday 20th October)
Gillian Evans, Tiverton,Devon
Gillian’s winning dishes:
Starter: Salad of smoked pork fillet
Main Course: John Dory fillets with scallops and mussels in a cream sauce
A range of additional awards were also presented on the evening:
Best Dish
Camilla Waite, Chef de Partie, The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow,Cornwall
Camilla’s winning dish:
Fillet of John Dory with Succotash, Pancetta and Porthilly Mussels
Best Presentation
Jordan Bailey, Chef de Partie, The Elephant Restaurant, Torquay
Most Creative Menu
Michael Tweedie, Junior Sous Chef atLucknamPark,Bath
Michael’s winning menu:
Starter: Poached pork tenderlion , black pudding bounin, Marlbough shiitakes, pickled salsify, English truffles,LucknamPark garden shoots
Main: Roast John Dory, Cornish squid risotto , crayfish,WyeValley aspargus, giolles, cauilflower, shellfish foam
Best Use of Regional Produce
Brett Sutton, Head Chef, The Eastbury Hotel, Sherborne,Dorset
Pictures of the winning dishes are available on the South West Chef of the Year website at www.southwestchef.co.uk/serving-up-success/
The full list of finalists:
Professional Class
Jordan Bailey, Chef de Partie, The Elephant Restaurant, Torquay
Tom Scade, Head Chef, Tides Restaurant, Mariner’s Rock, Rock, Cornwall
Michael Tweedie, Junior Sous Chef, Lucknam Park, Bath
Other semi-finalists:
Lee Groves, Head Chef, Seagrass Restaurant, St Ives
Brett Sutton, Head Chef, The Eastbury Hotel, Sherborne,Dorset
Dez Turland, Group Development Chef, Brend Hotels, Saunton Sands Hotel, Braunton,Devon
Young Professional class
Finalists
Harriet Pecover, Head Pastry Chef, The Jack in the Green, Rockbeare, Devon
Camilla Waite, Chef de Partie, The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow, Cornwall
Elly Wentworth, Demi Chef de Partie, Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe, Wiltshire
Other semi-finalists:
Daniel Kavanagh, Sous Chef, Rodean Restaurant, Kenton,Devon
Ben Reid, Commis Chef, TheHarrowat Little Bedwyn, Wiltshire
Richard Townsend, Chef de Partie, The Eastbury Hotel, Sherborne, Dorset
South West Home Cook class finalists
James Hooper, Plymouth, Devon
Anthony Normile, Exeter, Devon
Gillian Evans, Tiverton Devon
