News

Budding young chefs from St Josephs Catholic High School, Cumbria, stole the show at Electrolux Professional's recent Schools Competition.

Kieran Ditchburn and Shane Stevens wowed judges with their menu of locally sourced ingredients. The team's menu of Cumbrian Farmhouse cheese soufflé followed by herb crusted Lakeland lamb with sweet potato and chantenay carrots showcased their culinary skills and flair in the kitchen.

Each entrant was tasked with cooking a two-course meal with a budget of £10 a head, with a focus on healthy eating and fresh, seasonal sourcing. Alan Evans, Electrolux executive chef and judge commented: "The winning team hit all our criteria with their outstanding menu.

"It was perfectly cooked and packed with the best of British ingredients – they even knew the name of the butcher where their meat came from. They certainly have a great future ahead of them."

Evans added: "The standard in the entire competition was extremely high and we were impressed with the dishes produced by all teams. At Electrolux we believe that mentoring the upcoming talent in the industry is key to the development of our future chefs. This competition has provided a fantastic opportunity for kids to experience the professional kitchen first-hand and raise interest in becoming a part of the industry."

The team fought off stiff competition from Issambard Community School, Swindon, to triumph in the event held at Trafford College in Altringham. Their efforts were rewarded with a prize of vouchers and a signed copy of Sophie Wright's book, Easy Peasy.

The Schools Competition was launched with young chef Sophie Wright in 2010. Heats took place in five schools across the UK where eight teams from five schools battled it out in the kitchen.