News
Jul 13

The 2019 South West Junior Chef finalists!

The South West’s young cooks have been demonstrating their outstanding skills in the kitchens of the region’s catering colleges over the last two weeks.

With great culinary flair on display from young chefs aged just 11-16, our judges were faced with quite a challenge to select only one winner in each county and the six winners will all now meet at the South West final on 5th October.

Each county winner will spend time in the kitchen of one of our judges over the summer to help them develop their skills and confidence, to provide them with valuable experience of a working kitchen and to help them tweak and prepare their dish for the final.

We are extremely grateful to all of the county judges who give up their time so generously to judge the competition and provide helpful feedback to all competitors and particularly to those who support the finalists through the mentoring process.

Thank you also to the catering colleges who kindly host the county finals, offering the young cooks a taster of life as a catering student.

In addition to reaching the final, each of the South West finalists will also be offered the opportunity to compete in the regional finals of the Springboard FutureChef competition, bypassing the local finals, to compete for a place in the national final.

Well done to all who took part in the county finals and many congratulations to the winners (outlined below) who will now meet at the South West final on Saturday 5th October at Ashburton Cookery School.

Thank you very much to Michael Caines MBE and Lympstone Manor, who generously sponsor the Junior Chef category.

Cornwall

Cornwall College, Camborne

Cornwall Junior Chef of the Year 2019

George – Truro School

Judges:
  • Stephane Delourme – Head Chef, The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow
  • Emily Scott – Chef Proprietor, St Tudy Inn, St Tudy
  • Tracy Page – Chef Lecturer, Cornwall College
Mentor judge:

Emily Scott

Cornwall Junior finalists
  • Alfie – Brannel School, St Austell
  • Amelia – Brannel School, St Austell
  • Benji – Truro School
  • George – Truro School
  • Harvey – St Joseph’s School, Launceston
  • Joseph – St Joseph’s School, Launceston

Devon

Exeter College

Devon Junior Chef of the Year 2019

Oliver– The King’s School, Ottery St Mary

Judges:
  • Mark Dodson – Chef Proprietor, The Masons Arms, Knowstone
  • Mark Stoyle – Head of Hospitality, Exeter College
Mentor judge:

Mark Dodson

Devon Junior finalists
  • Amélie – Trinity School, Teignmouth
  • Blake – Plymouth School of Creative Arts
  • Edward– Stover School, Newton Abbot
  • Emily – St Luke’s Science & Sport College, Exeter
  • Oliver – Stover School, Newton Abbot
  • Oliver – The King’s School, Ottery St Mary
  • Samantha – Stover School, Newton Abbot

Dorset

Bournemouth and Poole College

Dorset Junior Chef of the Year 2019

Katie – The Gryphon School, Sherborne

Judges:
  • Russell Brown – Director, Creative About Cuisine
  • Pete Murt – Head Chef at Rick Stein, Sandbanks
  • Gary Kilminster – Business Development Executive, Essential Cuisine
  • David Marshall – Chef Lecturer, Bournemouth & Poole College
Mentor judge:

Pete Murt

Dorset Junior finalists
  • Erin– Lytchett Minster School
  • Evie– Lytchett Minster School
  • Katie – The Gryphon School, Sherborne
  • Molly– Lytchett Minster School
  • Poppy– Lytchett Minster School

Sadly Alfie from Oak Academy was unable to join us on the day.

Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire College, Cheltenham

Gloucestershire Junior Chef of the Year 2019

Susanna– Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School, Wotton-under-Edge

Judges:
  • David Everitt-Matthias – Chef Proprietor, Le Champignon Sauvage
  • Gus Ashenford – Chef Proprietor, Restaurant 5 North Street, Winchcombe
  • Renark Cousins – Chef Lecturer, Gloucestershire College
Mentor judge:

Gus Ashenford

Gloucestershire Junior finalists
  • Evie – Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School, Wotton-under-Edge
  • Leon – Farmors School, Fairford
  • Mary– Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School, Wotton-under-Edge
  • Sam – Maidenhill School, Stonehouse
  • Susanna – Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School, Wotton-under-Edge
  • Zainab – Stroud High School

Somerset

Bridgwater and Taunton College, Taunton

Somerset Junior Chef of the Year 2019

Munopa – Queen’s College, Taunton

Judges:
  • Liam Finnegan – Head Chef, The Castle Hotel, Taunton
  • Chris Cleghorn – Head Chef, The Olive Tree, Queensberry Hotel, Bath
  • Dean Perry – Chef Lecturer, Bridgwater and Taunton College
Mentor judge:

Liam Finnegan

Somerset Junior finalists
  • Abigail – The King Alfred School and Academy, Highbridge
  • Conor – Whitstone School, Shepton Mallet
  • Holly – Queen’s College, Taunton
  • Louis – Westfield Academy, Yeovil
  • Munopa – Queen’s College, Taunton
  • Phoebe – St Katherine’s School, Ham Green

Wiltshire

Wiltshire College Trowbridge

Wiltshire Junior Chef of the Year 2019

Katherine – The Ridgeway School and Sixth Form College, Wroughton

Judges:
  • Robert Potter, Executive Chef, The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe
  • Stephen Lloyd, Chef Lecturer, Wiltshire College
Mentor judge:

Hywel Jones, Executive Chef, Lucknam Park, Bath

Wiltshire Junior finalists
  • Katherine – The Ridgeway School and Sixth Form College, Wroughton
  • Phoebe – Nova Hreod Academy, Swindon
  • Rhys – Wellington Academy, Tidworth
  • Theo – Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury