PROVENANCE-MAD DUO THROUGH TO YOUNG CHEF FINAL!

Two passionate young chefs who go for broke to source the best local produce possible have made it to the final of the Essential Cuisine-sponsored North West Young Chef of the Year 2010.

Andrew Postlethwaite from the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, and Tom Lee from the London Carriage Works, Liverpool, respectively won this week’s Cumbria and Merseyside heats of one of the most respected culinary competitions in the region.

Each talented chef went head to head with five other finalists under 25 years old at the cook-offs at Kendal College on Tuesday (30th) and Wirral Metropolitan College on Wednesday (31st).

The challenge was to cook up a three course meal for two using North West produce costing up to £25 for a panel of judges, including competition organiser and British Masterchef Brian Mellor.

Andrew follows in the footsteps of last year’s Cumbria heat winner Martin Frickel, who also worked at the Castle Green Hotel.

For the cook-off, he plumped for a starter of rainbow trout, pickled cockles, beetroot and samphire, and was at Bessy Beck Trout Farm when the fish was caught the day before the competition. This was followed bya tasting of wild rabbit, butternut squash, Blackcoombe ham and wild garlic, the rabbit shot locally and supplied by Lakes Speciality Foods in Stavely, just four miles from kendal.

For dessert, he made rhubarb, Curthwaite goats cheese and Grasmere gingerbread cheesecake.

Inspired by Castle Green Hotel head chef and ambassador for local produce Justin Wood, Andrew said: I felt confident in my dishes, but not overly so. Winning was excellent.”

It is Tom Lee’s second run at the title after winning the Merseyside heat last year before being hailed runner up in the North West Young Chef final at Manchester College last June.

At this year’s heat, Tom impressed with a tortellini of Anglesey mussels with crispy pancetta, leeks and parsley foam, followed by pan roast rump of Barnston Longhorn beef with miniature cottage pie, new season carrot puree, field mushrooms, spinach and natural jus. For dessert, he whisked up an iced parfait of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese with crispin apple and sorbet.

Prior to the competition, he had only had chance to practice parts of his dishes, and the heat was the first time he had plated up the entire dish, relying heavily on his experience.

Tom, who was inspired by college lecturer Ian Jaundoo and today values the advice and guidance of chef patron of the London Carriage Works, Paul Askew, said: “I felt confident going into the final, but knew nothing was a certainty.”

   

As chairman of judges, Brian said: “I have judged this competition for the last nine years and this has been the strongest Merseyside heat so far. I am very proud of what I’ve seen today.”

Andrew and Tom will now pit their wits against heat winners from Lancashire, Manchester and Cheshire at the North West Young Chef of the Year 2010 final in June.

The champion will be crowned in front of regional producers, food writers and top chefs and receive a week long bursary in a top European restaurant with mentoring from an accomplished chef. They will also win a weekend for two at a luxury hotel and a set of chefs’ knives.

Nigel Crane, managing director of competition sponsor Essential Cuisine and Dorchester-trained chef, gave the following advice to all five young chefs going forward to the final: “Keep it hot, keep it simple, local and in season.”

North West Young Chef aims to give chefs the opportunity to increase their chances of achieving long term goals, demonstrate skills to a professional audience and get invaluable feedback.

North West Young Chef of the Year 2010 finalists:
• Martin Hargreaves - Lancashire
• Michael Tate – Manchester
• Jamie Bridgett - Cheshire
• Tom Lee – Merseyide
• Andrew Postlethwaite – Cumbria