Winner of Lancashire Young Chef of the Year announced
Martin Hargreaves, senior chef de partie at Cassis at Stanley House Hotel in Mellor, has been crowned Lancashire Young Chef of the Year.
The title not only brings industry acclaim, but an automatic place in next year's heated final of the Essential Cuisine-sponsored North West Young Chef of the Year 2010.
At Lancaster and Morecambe College, Hargreaves's challenge was to cook up a winning three course meal for two using local North West produce costing up to £25 alongside seven other 18-25 year old finalists from a mix of hotels, pubs and a garden centre.
His dishes featured cauliflower risotto with Morecambe Bay langoustines as a starter, followed by Huntley's roe buck venison for mains, and Cheshire apple trifle for dessert.
His ambition, after gaining as much experience as possible, is to have his own fine restaurant and bakery business by the time he's 30, with a talented team right behind him. "I live for cooking and work is my full time passion. The satisfaction derived from sourcing the finest regional produce, then preparing and presenting it to perfection on the plate and hearing the praise of delighted diners, cannot be beaten."
Executive head chef at Cassis Steve Williams said it took a lot of nerve to enter a competition where all your skills are on public display. "Martin's menu shows skill and modern techniques and I am very proud of what he has achieved. He has made good use of the great spectrum of food available in the North West."
North West Young Chef aims to give chefs the opportunity to increase their chances of achieving long term goals, demonstrate skills to a professional audience and get invaluable feedback.
Nigel Crane, managing director of sponsor Essential Cuisine, said: "North West Young Chef is a great platform for young chefs. The thrill of competing, the chance to learn from peers and give potential employers something to think about when they look at a CV, it's a golden ticket to bigger and better things.
"You also learn discipline and how to take constructive criticism, which helps no end in this competitive industry. We wish Martin all the luck in the final."
The judging panel was made up of British Masterchef Brian Mellor (Chef 'n' Farmer, Wirral) and Maurizio Botcchi (La Locanda, Gisburn).
The award was presented by the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board.
Words: Maria Bracken
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