Rotary Club of Knaresborough

Megan is top Nidderdale Young Chef

Six budding Young Chefs at Nidderdale High School in Pateley Bridge recently took part in the national Rotary Young Chef Preliminary round organised by Knaresborough Rotary Club.

The young Chefs were asked to produce a two course healthy meal on a limited budget of £7.50 within a ninety minute time frame. Marks were awarded for a variety of skills from choice of menu, planning, hygiene to the taste and presentation of the meal.

Judges for the competition were Mrs Sue Parton and Miss Donna Wallis from Boroughbridge High School Food Technology Department and Knaresborough Rotarians Bob Weddall and Chris Parkin.

Knaresborough Rotary Club supports the Young Chef Competition because it believes that cooking a healthy meal is an important life skill. The competition aims to encourage young people to develop cookery and food presentation skills, consider healthy eating options, develop organisational and planning skills and also an ability to cope in a demanding situation.

All competitors received a certificate and the winners were presented with healthy eating recipe books. The winners of the Club competition can progress to a District Competition, then via a Regional Competition to the national RIBI Final of Rotary Young Chef.

The winner was Megan Haneskog with Fraser Abbot and Natalie Richmond as runners up. Megan’s menu was Teriyaki Salmon with soya beans, mange tout and homemade egg noodles served with a dipping sauce. This was followed by Mango and Ginger ice cream in a filo basket with mango coulis.

Megan now faces a ‘cook-off’ with Henry Malone from King James’s School and Reece Norton from Boroughbridge High School to decide who will progress to the Rotary District Final at Betty’s Cookery School on 24^th January.