Budding young chefs are turning up the heat in Dundee on Saturday 26 April as the national final gets underway in the RIBI Young Chef competition. The competition is held in association with Filippo Berio, the UK’s leading olive oil brand.
The final eight contestants, who are each sponsored by Rotary clubs in their local area, have beaten thousands of others from schools and colleges all over Great Britain and Ireland to reach the final. The young cooking enthusiasts aged between 14 and 17 years old, will each prepare a healthy three course meal for two people in two hours, within a budget of £15 at Dundee and Angus College, Dundee.
The contestants have been on a long journey to the grand final but it is worth it for the experience and a chance to win the trip of a lifetime to the prestigious Toscana Saporita cookery school in Tuscany, courtesy of Filippo Berio.
RIBI President Nan McCreadie, who will be attending the final said: “This competition produces outstanding quality dishes and I do not envy the judges task of picking one winner. I hope that the competition encourages more young people to eat well, grow up with a love of good healthy food and give them the desire to learn more cooking skills.”
This year’s judges are Walter Zanre, Managing Director, Filippo Berio UK, Valentine Warner, Food Writer and Broadcaster, Christopher Basten, National Chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs and Jordon Powell, winner of last year’s RIBI Young Chef competition.
The Young Chef finalists are:
Anthony Sparks Rotary Club of Golders Green
Cliona McCarthy Rotary Club of Navan
Lora Blackett Rotary Club of Skegness
Maireed Melvin Rotary Club of Dunfermline Carnegie
Mathew Thomas Rotary Club of Northwich
Olivia Pearce Rotary Club of Bideford
Roxanne Ryan Rotary Club of Cirencester
Tom Hamblet Rotary Club of Horsham
