Rotary "Young Chef" in East Berkshire

The Rotary Clubs of Ascot, Bracknell and Wokingham joined forces last week to organise the East Berkshire heat of the National "Young Chef" competition. The event took place at the Licensed Victuallers' School in Ascot, and 9 competitors from 5 local schools participated. The competitors, who had to be in the 11-17 age range, had to devise, prepare and present a healthy two-course meal for 2, with a budget for ingredients of £10.

All the competitors had already gone through an internal selection process in their schools in order to participate in this East Berkshire final. Winners of these internal competitions were presented with a cup and runners up with a shield, and all finalists received a chef's apron. They also received a voucher for £10, to cover ingredient costs, kindly donated by Waitrose of Sunningdale, who similarly sponsored the competitors in the internal competitions in Charters School, the Marist Senior School and the Licensed Victuallers School.

After a hot two hours in the kitchen, under the watchful eyes of the judges, the competitors had to serve up their meal selections. The tasting test took place in the kitchen, then the second serving was brought to the board room to be set out for the visitors and parents to admire the presentation.

In the kitchen
In the kitchen In the kitchen In the kitchen
The judges were professional chef-teachers Geoff Du-Feu and Elly Mercer of "CAALS" (Cookery as a Life Skill - teaching partnership). After carefully scrutinising the work in the kitchen, the judges moved to the Board Room where the contestants had to set out their meal to be viewed by parents and guests, before the prize ceremony. {short description of image}

Luckley-Oldfield School contestant (and winner) Emily Shaw
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Ranelagh School contestants Abbie Alston (Right, and runner-up) & Lydia Clarke


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Marist School contestants Isabel Horne & Grace Lewin
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Charters School contestants Rebecca Atkins & Matthew Innes


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Licensed Victuallers' School contestants Oliver Bellamy & George Randall
Winner Runner-up

The winner of the East Berkshire Competition was Emily Shaw, of Luckley-Oakfield school, Wokingham. She was presented with the East Berkshire heat winner's cup by Alan Hill, President of the Rotary Club of Wokingham.

Runner up was Abbie Alston of Ranelagh School, Bracknell, who was presented with the runner up shield by Bob Rumbold, President of the Rotary Club of Bracknell.

After the presentations, Ian Valentine, President of the Rotary Club of Ascot, thanked the Licensed Victuallers' school for hosting the competition, and the teachers and competitors for their efforts in supporting the event today. He said "It is the first time there has been a Rotary Young Chef heat in East Berkshire, so it has been a learning experience for us all. I am very pleased that the local Rotary clubs have been able to offer the opportunity for these young people to compete in this national competition, and I am impressed by the high standard of preparation and presentation that we have seen tonight."

The winner and runner up now go forward to the District Final next February.