Eighteen year-old trainee is crowned South West Chef of the Year

Ben Champkin with winner’s plate and some of the produce that was used to create his winning menu

An eighteen year-old trainee chef at The Eastbury Hotel in Sherborne has beaten older and more senior class level chefs to be crowned overall South West Chef of the Year.

Ben Champkin became the winner in his Young Professional category on Thursday 5 August 12, 2010 before going on to be awarded with the "coveted" title of South West Chef of the Year, chosen by Michael Caines MBE.

Champkin's winning menu started with seared line-caught bass, gooseberries, crab fritter, rainbow baby chard and red sorrel. It was followed by a main course of roasted Duroc pork loin, slow-cooked belly, crisp crackling, Burrow Hill cider syrup and summer vegetables.

His food beat that of not only contenders in his own class but also those in the Professional Class, all of which were aged 23 or above.

Champkin said: "To win my category of Young Professional was fantastic but when Michael Caines said I was the overall winner and SW Chef of the Year, I was over the moon.

"I have only been training for a short time but Brett Sutton, the head chef here at The Eastbury has helped me learn so much, not just about preparation but about the importance of sourcing the very best local ingredients to create menus.

"In my menu I used Burrow Hill Cider from Martock, Somerset, Longman's butter from North Cadbury, Somerset, carrots and chard from our veg growers Ted and Jane Harris from Longburton just outside Sherborne and purple sage and broad beans that we grew in our own walled garden at The Eastbury."

The Eastbury's award-winning head chef, Brett Sutton is dedicated to sourcing the very best local produce, a passion that he has instilled in his team of award-winning young chefs.

Last year Arran Gooney another member of Sutton's team made it to the finals of South West Chef of the Year and last summer Sutton's sous chef, Matt Street, appeared on Master Chef - the Professionals on BBC2 and also made it through to the Roux Scholarship.

Words: Georgiana Ndlovu

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