Chefs of tomorrow to take part in annual competition

Ali Powell • Published 9 Oct 2008 07:00 0 Comments

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SCHOOLCHILDREN in Reading are being invited to take part in the 12th annual Young Chef competition organised by the Central Berkshire Educational Business Partnership (CBEBP).

The event will be launched at Novotel Reading tomorrow (Friday) and kicks off with a Professional Development Placement (PDP) for Food Technology teachers from schools who plan to participate in the competition.

Delegates will be given a competition brief, aims and objectives of the competition and then be allowed into the Novotel kitchens to watch a demonstration by head chef Amit Sethi.

This year the Young Chef competitors must cook a Healthy Meal for a Healthy Great Britain.

David Cavalier, food innovation director of Charlton House, Young Chef's main sponsor said: "A competition such as this not only encourages creativity but also attracts young people to consider catering as an exciting career choice. "This year's focus - on healthy eating using food that is farmed or grown in the UK - is a subject close to my heart, as I passionately believe that locally sourced, in-season ingredients are not only better for your health but also have less impact on the environment."

Some 200 secondary school students from across Berkshire are expected to take part in the contest and will be required to create and cook a main course and a dessert using fresh, seasonal and responsibly sourced ingredients. Each participating school will hold its own heat and the winners will compete for the title of Young Chef 2009 on March 2 next year, when they will be judged by a panel of chefs from local restaurants.

Laura Stopforth, CBEBP project manager of Young Chef 2009 said: "The emphasis today is on developing culinary skills in a world of increasing dependence on convenience foods and developing a healthier attitude to the food we eat whilst supporting the national curriculum in financial literacy, ICT and Food Technology. Because the students work in teams over a period of several months it also develops their team working, leadership and time management skills."

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 09 Oct 08

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