Rotary Young Chef of the Year with North Somerset finalists

Seafood bisque and a medley of raspberries clinched two junior cooks a place in the district finals of the Rotary Young Chef of the Year.

Sadly the three North Somerset finalists failed to make it into the next round despite being whizzkids in the kitchen at The Leaf restaurant at St Katherine's School, Ham Green.

City of Bristol College student Jordan Coles, 17, of St George, and Eloise Robertson, 15, of Yate International Academy, won the regional final and now go through to the next heat at Marling School, Stroud, on Saturday, March 3.

The five other finalists were Leon Taylor, 15, of St Katherines; Abbie Pearce, 16, of Bradley Stoke Community School; Patrick McMahon, 15, of Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School; Joe Twyford, 14, of Gordano School and the youngster competitor James Smith, 13, of Nailsea School.

In the cook-off the young masterchefs prepared a variety of dishes including those with Thai and Caribbean flavours and Joe did a Burn's Night supper with Tartan chicken stuffed with haggis.

Leon said: "With my menu I have tried to show a range of cooking skills and tried to create modern tasty food while keeping the preparation and presentation simple."

James said: "It was hard but fun."

Neither Jordan nor Eloise expected to win as the competition was so tough.

Jordan said: "My Apple Charlotte sank when I took it out of the casing so I thought that was that but luckily I managed to push it all back together."

Jordan cooked prawn and crab ravioli, grilled pork with black pudding served with glazed root vegetables and the problem pudding which he served with sticky toffee sauce.

Eloise said she had some top tips from her brother who is a chef at a four star Winterbourne hotel.

She said: "The trio of raspberries were my best looking dish."

She also cooked a butternut squash soup, apricot chicken wrapped in Parma ham and a chocolate roulade.

Judges Ian Hughes, head chef at The Brook Redwood Country Club; Andy Chan, sous chef at Thornbury Castle and Scott Lucas, south west of the Craft Guild of Chefs did the tasting and the deliberating.

The nationwide contest, aimed at promoting healthy eating and culinary skills among young people, gives the students two hours to cook a three-course meal for two on a budget of £14.

Rotarian district youth opportunities officer Bryan Bamber congratulated all the contestants and praise the culinary standard which he said improves every year. 

All the young people were accompanied by a support team from their local Rotary club.