2019 Results

2019 Winners and Finalists

The 16th annual South West Chef of the Year competition culminated in some nail-biting and incredibly close finals, presenting our judges with some of their toughest challenges yet!  Our prestigious panel of judges deliberated for a very long time at the finals of the professional and student chef categories, being forced to drill down to the finest details to select their winners.  Finals in the home cook and junior categories proved, once again, that the level of skill among amateur cooks also never fails to impress!

We are very excited to have been able to highlight the exceptionally talented chefs, home cooks and junior cooks of the region, not to mention the bounty of diverse ingredients on our doorstep, over the last 16 years and 2019 was certainly no exception!

Thank you very much to everyone who entered and took part for all the time and hard work they committed to ensuring we enjoyed another competition of such an exceptional standard and many congratulations to all our finalists and winners.

Thank you very much indeed to our panel of judges who give their time so generously and to all of our dedicated sponsors whose continued support enables us to stage the competition each year.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists in 2019 outlined below:

South West Chef of the Year 2019 (overall)

WINNER: Edward Marsh

Sous Chef, The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe

South West Professional Chef of the Year

Sponsored by Ritter Courivaud

WINNER: Edward Marsh

Sous Chef, The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe

The compulsory protein ingredients provided for our Professional finalists were:

  • Rabbit
  • Red Mullet
  • Squid

Edward’s Menu

Starter:
Pan roasted Red Mullet, confit fennel, pickled romanesco and shellfish foam

Main:
Stuffed saddle of rabbit, celeriac, cavolo nero, wild mushrooms, rabbit boulangère and jus

Dessert:
Liquid chocolate tart, roast pear and milk sorbet

South West Young Professional Chef of the Year

Sponsored by Essential Cuisine

WINNER: Jamaar Semper-House

Chef de Partie, Lucknam Park, Bath

The compulsory protein ingredients provided for our Young Professional finalists were:

  • Partridge
  • Dover Sole
  • Mussels

Jamaar’s Menu

Starter:
Partridge, mushroom purée, artichoke crisps

Main:
Sole, mussel velouté, braised fennel, sea vegetables, sole mousse ravioli

Dessert:
Dark chocolate cremeaux, pear, milk sorbet, ginger cake and chocolate tuile

South West Student/Apprentice Chef of the Year

Sponsored by Nisbets

WINNER: Rosie Nevill

Exeter College

The compulsory protein ingredients provided for our Student/Apprentice Chef finalists were:

  • Pheasant
  • Pollack
  • Mussels

Rosie’s Menu

Starter:
Pollack, Chorizo, fennel

Main:
Pheasant, mushroom, tarragon

South West Home Cook of the Year

Sponsored by Ashburton Cookery School

WINNER: Marie-Joelle West

Exeter, Devon

Finalists in this class were asked to prepare a main course and a dessert using a choice of two protein ingredients and a range of dessert ingredients:

  • Chicken OR Sea Bream
  • Autumn fruits and berries

Marie-Joelle’s Menu

Main:
Pan fried fillet of Sea Bream, potatosotto, salsa verde, buttered shellfish

Dessert:
Caramelised apple shortcake with ginger cream and hazelnut praline

South West Junior Chef of the Year

Sponsored by Lympstone Manor and Michael Caines Ltd.

WINNER: Munopa Nhete

Queen’s College, Taunton, Somerset

Mentored by Liam Finnegan, Head Chef, The Castle Hotel, Taunton.

Finals were held in each of the six counties of the South West during July and the winners in each county met at the final. Each benefitted from mentoring from one of our county judges in preparation for the final.  Competitors were asked to prepare a main course dish for our judges which they they worked on with their mentors to adapt and enhance for the South West final

Munopa’s dish

Sea Bass, roasted fennel, prawn tortellini, white wine sauce and a herb oil

Best Showcase of Regional Ingredients

WINNER: Katriona Watson

Launceston, Cornwall (Home Cook finalist)

Starter:
Chicken and Chorizo stew with couscous and cavolo nero

Main:
‘Foolish’ Autumn berry cocktail with meringue umbrella

Best Menu

Sponsored by West Country Beef and Lamb

Winner: Edward Marsh

Sous Chef, The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe

(Professional Chef finalist)

Starter:
Pan roasted Red Mullet, confit fennel, pickled romanesco and shellfish foam

Main:
Stuffed saddle of rabbit, celeriac, cavolo nero, wild mushrooms, rabbit boulangère and jus

Dessert:
Liquid chocolate tart, roast pear and milk sorbet

Best Presentation

Winner: Josh Ambridge

Senior Chef de Partie, Lords of the Manor, Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire

(Young Professional Chef finalist)

For his menu as a whole

Best Dish

Sponsored by Salt Media

Winner: Rosie Nevill

Exeter College, Devon

For her main course of pheasant, mushroom and tarragon

See below for the names of all other finalists

Pictures of dishes to follow

With many thanks to our lead sponsor: Bidfood

Thank you to Exeter College and Ashbutron Cookery School who kindly hosted our finals.

Thank you to our sponsors who kindly supplied ingredients for our finals:

MC Kelly Ltd. / Flying Fish Seafoods / Total Produce / Ritter Courivaud / Bidfood

Professional Chef Category

James Checkley

Head Chef, Kentisbury Grange, Barnstaple

Starter:
Pan fried Red Mullet, celeriac, apple and fennel

Main:
Rabbit loin, baby carrot, pan fried mushroom, smoked bacon and rabbit sauce

Dessert:
Pear soufflé

Joe Cotton

Sous Chef, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon

Starter:
Red mullet, celeriac, apple and fennel

Main:
Rabbit, Butternut squash, girolles

Dessert:
Vanilla panna cotta, spiced pear jelly, golden raisins

Paul Wearing

Head Chef, The Springer Spaniel, Launceston, Cornwall

Starter:
Pan fried Red Mullet, roasted cauliflower, pickled raisins and crispy squid

Main:
Balltoine of rabbit, spiced Butternut squash and lentils

Dessert:
Pear and almond tart, vanilla chantilly, caramalised fig

Young Professional Category

Josh Ambridge

Senior Chef de Partie, Lords of the Manor, Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire

Starter:
Partridge ravioli, girolles, crushed celeriac, thyme-infused consommé

Main:
Butter poached Dover Sole, brassicas, mussels and a saffron sauce

Dessert:
Pear and almond tart, salted caramel, vanilla chantilly

John Brimicombe

Chef de Partie, Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plympton, Devon

Starter:
Sole, beurre blanc, celeriac, mussels

Main:
Partridge, Butternut squash, tenderstem

Dessert:
Parfait, raspberries, dark chocolate

Billy Pounsett-Smart

Chef de Partie, Kentisbury Grange, Barnstaple, Devon

Starter:
Sole boudin, sage and mussel beurre blanc, pickled fennel, sea purslane

Main:
Partridge with honey-glazed pear, roasted hazelnuts, golden raisins, celeriac fondant, charred shallot

Dessert:
Apple and raspberry soufflé, chantilly cream

Jordan Randerson

Chef de Partie, The Elephant, Torquay

Starter:
Sole, gnocchi, mussel cream, roasted fennel

Main:
Partridge, Swiss chard, venison sauce, girolles, garden fricassé

Dessert:
Floating island, crème anglaise, brandy snap

Student/Apprentice Chef Category

Andrei Jurma

Truro and Penwith College and Senara Restaurant, Penzance

Starter:
Braised Pollack, bourguignon sauce, pickled mussels

Main:
Pheasant, parsnip tart, sprouts, wild mushrooms, game jus

Joshua Jay Mannino

Launceston College and Hotel Endsleigh, Milton Abbot, Deovn

Starter:
Pan seared Pollack with a sesame crust, Cornish dulse and coconut dashi, mussel, pak choi, samphire, winter chanterelles, purslane

Main:
Crown of pheasant with a prune and chestnut stuffing, glazed Jerusalem artichokes, pickled blackberries, broccoli, tarragon and Madeira jus

Hazel Stanton

Exeter College and Gather, Totnes, Devon

Starter:
Pollack, Tempura mussels and saffron

Main:
Pheasant, pear and parsnip

Home Cook Category

Harry Burgess

Plymouth, Devon

Main:

Pan fried Sea Bream, beetroot purée, sautéed Cornish new potatoes, buttered peas and leeks, lemon and dill crème fraîche

Dessert:

Shortbread Autumn berry tart, Trewithen clotted cream, walnuts, Autumn berry compôte

Gillian Francis

Liskeard, Cornwall

Main:

Roast Spatchcock chicken with herb jus and flavourful autumnal vegetables

Dessert:

Almond berry financier with berry sauce and Cornish cream

Tom Litten

Upottery, Devon

Main:

Pan fried fillet of Sea Bream on a bed of samphire and tomatoes

Dessert:
Caramelised pear upside down cake with ginger custard

Katriona Watson

Launceston, Cornwall

Main:

Chicken and Chorizo stew with couscous and cavolo nero

Dessert:

‘Foolish’ Autumn berry cocktail with meringue umbrella

Junior Chef Category

Susanna

Gloucestershire Junior Chef of the Year
Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School, Wotton-under-Edge

Mentored by Gus Ashenford, Chef Proprietor, Restaurant 5 North Street, Winchcombe

Lamb with mint sauce, dauphinoise potatoes and vegetables

George

Cornwall Junior Chef of the Year
Truro School, Truro

Mentored by Emily Scott, St Tudy Inn, St Tudy

St Ewe egg pappardelle with Cornish crab and Migas

Katherine

Wiltshire Junior Chef of the Year
The Ridgeway School, Wroughton

Mentored by Hywel Jones, Executive Chef, Lucknam Park, Bath

Fillet of beef, celeriac purée, a bone marrow, red wine and port jus, fondant potato, heirloom carrots two ways and sautéed shallots

Katie

Dorset Junior Chef of the Year
The Gryphon School, Sherborne

Mentored by Pete Murt, Head Chef, Rick Steins Sandbanks

Brixham caught Black Sea Bream en papillotte, fennel croquettes, Cornish cabbage and a Pernod velouté with candy beetroot garnish

Oliver

Devon Junior Chef of the Year
The Kings School, Ottery St Mary

Mentored by Mark Dodson, Chef Proprietor, The Masons Arms, Knowstone

A trio of chicken accompanied by roasted Macdeone potatoes, steamed tenderstem broccoli and roasted red pepper pesto, topped with a Cornish parmesan crisp.