SIX of Huntingdon-shire s best young chefs went head-to-head in the kitchen at the weekend during a sizzling competition organised by The Hunts Post. The children – aged between 11 and 14 – had all entered the Junior Chef of the Year competition, sponsore
SIX of Huntingdon-shire's best young chefs went head-to-head in the kitchen at the weekend during a sizzling competition organised by The Hunts Post.
The children - aged between 11 and 14 - had all entered the Junior Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Anglian Water, and a part of the Huntingdonshire Food and Drink Awards.
Each had won through to the final 'cook off' after devising a two-course menu for two people, using local ingredients and on a budget of just £10.
They arrived - along with a collection of nervous parents - at the Saxongate Centre on Saturday where they impressed judges with their flair, skill and imagination.
The six - George Page-Croft, from Needingworth, Tommy Rogers, from Kimbolton, Rohini Durve, from Brampton, Ben Poynter, from Eaton Ford, Freddie Fordham, from Connington, and Alice Jackson, from Offord D'Arcy - created a delicious range of dishes. These included homemade vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon, pork sausages served on crushed garlicky new potatoes, and strawberry fools and chocolate shortbread.
After two-and-a-half hours of cooking - and a tasting session by judges Lisa Taylor, from Anglian Water, and chef John Betham, from Framlingham College, Suffolk - Tommy Rogers was announced as the winner.
The 14-year-old, whose father is a chef at The New Sun Inn in Kimbolton, cooked wild rabbit stuffed with sausage and tarragon and wrapped in streaky bacon, served with crushed new potatoes and roasted vegetables, as well as apple and blackberry crumble.
It was described as "delicious".
Mr Batham said: "The standard of the dishes was amazing but there was one chef who came out above the rest and it was Tommy.
"Everybody had some excellent touches, but all the ideas really came together on Tommy's plates."
All the young chefs were given a few treats for their efforts, while Tommy was presented with an award on Monday and will also have his menu cooked for him and his family by the chefs at the Old Bridge, Huntingdon.
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