TALENTED TOM GALLOPS OFF WITH DREAM TITLE!
DREAMS can come true, as Merseyside chef Tom Lee discovered after being crowned North West Young Chef of the Year 2010, sponsored by Essential Cuisine.
The 24-year-old sous chef from the London Carriage Works in Liverpool was presented with the top award at a high-profile ceremony at Manchester’s Deansgate Hilton on 2nd June.
It is a particularly poignant win for the Toxteth-born chef, who spent months’ soul searching after narrowly missing out on last year’s title to Chris Rawlinson.
“I was deeply disappointed to lose out last year and wasn’t going to enter this year’s competition,” said Tom, who now lives in Edge Hill, Wavertree. “Then I thought, hang on, no, I’m going to do this and went though the judges’ feedback with a fine toothcomb to see where I could improve. I’m so glad I did. When they called my name out yesterday, I felt like the greatest race horse; Sea The Stars, when he won the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe by 18 lengths.”
Tom clinched the title after impressing at a cook-off at The Manchester College at Openshaw, in front of a panel of top judges, including Brian Mellor, competition organiser and British Masterchef, Steven Doherty, chairman of the Gordon Ramsay Scholarship, and Nigel Crane, Dorchester-trained chef and managing director of sponsor Essential Cuisine.
Representing Merseyside, Tom was up against four other under 25 year old heat winners from Cumbria, Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire, all tasked with cooking up an award-winning three course meal for two using North West produce costing up to £25.
Tom’s menu started with tortellini of Anglesey mussels and consommé with pancetta crisp and leeks, followed by a
main course of pan roast rump of Barnston Longhorn beef with miniature cottage pie, carrot puree, field mushrooms, spinach and natural jus.
To finish, he dished up a Claremont Farm strawberry cheesecake using fresh fruit picked hours before the competition, with elderflower sorbet and Champagne jelly.
Crowned in front of regional producers, food writers and top chefs, Tom not only walked away with his dream title, but a week long bursary in a top European restaurant with mentoring from an accomplished chef, a weekend for two at a luxury hotel and a set of Global chefs’ knives.
His ambition is to make it to the top. “I particularly look up to chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Tom Aiken and would love to have my own Michelin-starred restaurant one day,” he said. “For now, though, I want to get more experience, learn more about the culinary arts.”
Judge Nigel Crane said Tom, who was inspired by college lecturer Ian Jaundoo and values the advice and guidance of chef patron of the London Carriage Works, Paul Askew, had clearly spent time looking at what he did last year.
Tom also abided by the golden rules of great cooking. “While it’s fantastic to see creative and technical flair, our main advice is to keep it hot, keep it simple, local and in season,” he said.
“Tom made sure he did this and created an award-winning menu that would fit in perfectly at any top UK restaurant. He deserves to go on to great things and we wish him all the best.”
Cumbria heat winner
Andrew Postlethwaite, who works at Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, was hailed this year’s competition runner-up.
This year’s North West Young Chef of the Year full line-up of finalists were:
• Merseyside – Tom Lee from London Carriage Works, Liverpool
• Lancashire - Martin Hargreaves from Cassis at Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Lancashire
• Cheshire - Jamie Bridgett from Rookery Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire
• Cumbria - Andrew Postlethwaite from Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, Cumbria
• Manchester - Michael Tate from Harvey Nichols, Manchester
If you would to know more about the competition, which gives chefs the opportunity to increase their chances of achieving long term goals, demonstrate skills to a professional audience and get invaluable feedback, call 0870 050 1133. There is also a Facebook group for the North West Young Chef Competition.
03/06/2010|