SCHOOL NEWS: Young chefs serve up some culinary delights at Swanmead

FOOD glorious food was on the menu for pupils at Swanmead School in Ilminster last week as budding master chefs cooked up a big problem for judges in the first-ever Young Chef competition held at the school.

The competition was organised by Ilminster Rotary Club and some young and talented cooks dished up an array of culinary delights for the judges and on-looking Rotarians.

PHOTO - TOP: Year Seven competition winner Amelia Francis (left centre ) and Year Eight competition winner Rachel Locke (right centre) with runners-ups and Rotary Club president Harley Pope.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Rotary Club president Harley Pope with Year Seven winner Amelia Francis (centre), runner-up Daniel Tremlett and third-placed Charlotte O'Neill.

The school was full of wonderful smells as the competition kitchen oozed with mouth-watering flavours – all that was missing were TV Masterchef judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode – as pupils from Year Seven and Year Eight put on their aprons and got to work.

But Swanmead headteacher Mark Walker was more than keen to take on the judging role and he was joined by Gill Walker, wife of the Deputy Mayor of Ilminster, and Lorraine Rose, head chef at Dillington House, for the Year Seven contest and Henry Lester, head chef at the Shrubbery Hotel, for the Year Eight competition which were held on Tuesday (March 21, 2017).

The Year Seven pupils were Callum Bird, Daniel Tremlett, Amelia Francis, Charlotte O’Neill, Nyah O’Nions, Evelyn Lee, Jenny Pearson, Liam Small, Jessica Dobbs and Charlotte Wellman.

Their cooking skills produced a fine selection of main courses, desserts and baked items including spaghetti bolognaise, pork tenderloin, profiteroles, chocolate brownie, summer fruit meringue roulade, cookie monster cake and strawberry and mascarpone layer cake.

PHOTO - RIGHT: The Year Seven young chefs.

The judging panel had a tough task to pick out a top three.

But it was Amelia Francis who impressed the most with her dish of chicken breast in a creamy stilton sauce and bacon chunks, served with creamy swirled potatoes and finely sliced Chantilly carrots.

Daniel Tremlett was runner-up with his dish of Pollo Ruspante – chicken, gnocchi, garlic, cream and wild mushrooms; while third was Charlotte O’Neill with her dish entitled Scrunch Crunch Chicken which consisted of chicken, bacon, mushrooms and green beans served in a creamy sauce topped with filo pastry and served with a side salad.

PHOTO - RIGHT: The Year Eight young chefs.

The Year Eight pupils were Sophie Dowling, Richard Gullidge, Kyan Hartnell, Abi Locke, Rachel Locke, Nina Pas, Gabriella Reeve, Merryn Brown, Kyle Jenkins and Kelsey Rendall.

Their dishes included vegetable curry, butternut squash soup, savoury cobbler, chicken risotto, sticky toffee pudding, knickerbocker glory, chocolate heaven with an orange zest, and sausage roll with cheese and English mustard.

Again the judges had serious talking to do before announcing Rachel Locke as the winner with her creamy chicken korma curry served with a light aromatic rice, mango chutney, raita mint dip and mini poppadums.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Rotary Club president Harley Pope with Year Eight competition winner Rachel Locke (centre), runner-up Gabriella Reeve (left) and third-placed Abi Locke.

Runner-up was Gabriella Reeve with baked mushrooms stuffed with crispy bacon and blue cheese, served with roasted vegetables and a salad garnish, while third was Abi Locke with her Chicken New Yorker dish of succulent chicken breast covered with barbecue sauce, cheese and bacon, served with wedges in herbs and coleslaw.

Mr Walker said: “Our visiting head chefs were blown away by the quality and skill displayed by our young chefs and the decision of awarding prizes to the top three was extremely difficult.”

The two winning chefs – Amelia Francis and Rachel Locke – have been invited to work alongside head chef Lorraine Warren at Dillington House during a lunchtime service.

“What a fantastic opportunity for the girls,” added Mr Walker. “My thanks to all the children for taking part and to members of Ilminster Rotary Club for their role in supporting and organising the event.”

Rotary Club president Harley Pope congratulated all the young competitors for providing an excellent competition and dishing up truly scrumptious dishes.

Year Seven competition pictures can be found on this gallery - http://www.ilminsterpress.co.uk/blog/2017/03/27/ready-steady-cook-part-1-march-21-2017/ .

Year Eight competition pictures can be found on this gallery - http://www.ilminsterpress.co.uk/blog/2017/03/27/ready-steady-cook-part-2-march-21-2017/ .

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