East Berkshire Young Chef Competition

The East Berkshire heat of the national Rotary Young Chef competition took place at the Licensed Victuallers School, Ascot, recently. Organised by the Rotary Club of Ascot, in conjunction with the Rotary Clubs of Wokingham and Bracknell, the competition is intended to encourage the recognition of cookery as a life skill. The competitors were required to prepare a healthy meal for two people in 90 minutes, with a budget of just £10 for ingredients.

Each competitor had already been selected through a preliminary competition within their own school to gain a place in the local heat, and they were presented with their school-winners cups by the President of the Rotary Club, Colin Corio.

L to R 1Judge Elly Mercer, President Colin, winner Hannah Wilson, judge Geoff Du-Feu

The judges, Geoff Du-Feu, who trained and worked at the Savoy, and Elly Mercer, a former Good Food Guide Restaurateur, praised the contestants for the high standard of food preparation that had been demonstrated in the competition, despite an enforced break in the proceedings when the fire alarm went off!. The winner of the heat was Hannah Wilson, from the Marist School, Sunninghill, and the runner up was Nadine Harris, from the Luckley – Oakfield School, Wokingham. Both these contestants now go through to the Thames Valley District Final in February 2010, and if successful can progress through to the zone final and ultimately the national final.

L to R 1Judge Elly Mercer, President Colin, runner-up Nadine Harris, judge Geoff Du-Feu

After the judges had evaluated the dishes, they were presented on a table arrangement for parents and visitors to inspect. About 30 parents and visitors attended and this year they were able to watch proceedings in the kitchen via closed-circuit television. During the cooking phase visitors enjoyed a buffet provided by Sodexho Education, who provide the facilities management at the Licensed Victuallers School.