Rotary Young Chef Competition

Rosie Johnstone, from St Mary’s Catholic School, has been crowned Bishop’s Stortford Rotary Young Chef for 2023 at the annual Young Chef competition and will go forward to represent Bishop’s Stortford at the Rotary District 1240 Young Chef competition next year.
 
17 teams from local secondary schools participated in the competition held at Birchwood High School on 22 June. The task was to produce a 3 course healthy meal for two for £22 in 90 minutes. The junior team from Herts and Essex High School – Poppy Kenny, Lucy Moore and Freya Hooper - whose lemon drizzle cake gained particular praise – won the junior prize. St Mary’s Catholic School’s team – Evie Harrington, Rosie Johnstone and Jessica Komolafe - won the intermediate competition.  Their menu was pan-roasted duck breast with accompaniments, prawn and bamboo shoot dim sum and choux pastry pulls filled with lavender creme patisseries and seasonal fruit coulis.
 
The judges were Simon Cottam from Bishop’s Stortford’s Host, Sanjay Kumar - sous chef at Novotel Stansted, and Barry Bridgen, former catering lecturer at Hertford Regional College, who were very impressed with the cooking standard, teamwork and range of skills. Alan Beere, chairman of the judging panel, commented, “The judges had a very difficult decision to make.” Many congratulations to Rosie!