Chef James Mitchell wins top culinary award

James Mitchell and his father Keith

Chef James Mitchell has scooped a top prize in the Kitchen Final category of the Academy of Culinary Arts' Annual Awards of Excellence 2009.

Mitchell was one of five chefs out of 14 finalists to achieve the award. He beat off stiff competition to gain the highest score in that category.

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal was one of the judges at the finals held earlier this year at Thames Valley University. Mitchell had to cook four dishes in five hours – Parmesan risotto, whole baked sea bream, tarte tartin dessert and a dish comprising the ingredients from a mystery box that he saw for the first time on the day of the competition.

Mitchell, who works at the Royal Automobile Club in London, was presented with his award at a gala dinner held this month at London's Langham Hotel.

In addition to a chef's jacket and commemorative certificate, as the highest scoring chef he also received a scholarship from the Savoy Educational Trust which will consist of a once in a lifetime trip to G.H.Mumm in the Champagne region of France, along with a set of Meyer cookware and Victorinox knives. 

The talented chef, along with the winners of the Pastry and Service sections of the AAE has also been invited to spend a day's work experience at the famous Fat Duck in Bray.

Father Keith Mitchell who is a consistent winner of Salon Culinaire gold medals from 1983 to 1995 and captain of the British Team of Chefs at the World Culinary Championships, commented on his son's success: "He used to help out around the kitchen at home. When he was 16 he went off for the summer to work at a French hotel owned by a friend of mine who used to work in the Mirabelle restaurant at the Grand.

"He then completed the three-year Specialist Chefs' course at Bournemouth and Poole College, the same apprenticeship course I use for chefs at the Grand, and graduated with a distinction.  When I heard he had won the Academy of Culinary Arts' award I was over the moon and I am very proud of him."

Words: Maria Bracken

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