Emily cooks up a real storm for classmates
A BUDDING chef from Burbage shared some of her culinary creations with her classmates.
Emily Bell, nine, served up a meal of lamb meatballs with chapati bread and lemon meringue pie to her fellow pupils at Sketchley Hill Primary School.
Some of the children who don’t usually have a school dinner lined up to try her handiwork, with mum Laura and grandma Janet also coming along.
The meatballs included ‘hidden’ vegetables, with finely chopped carrots, onions and sweetcorn integrated into the mix.
The tasty two courses creation was also Emily’s entry for the 2017 Junior Chef of the Year competition and has won her a toughly contested place in the finals.
The six finalists had just 90 minutes to prepare a two-course meal and fresh bread, working with ovens they had never used before, at Leicester College.
Emily was one of the youngest entrants into the competition, which was open to Year 5 and 6 students.
Mum Laura said: “Emily did an excellent job as one of the youngest competitors.
“She’s been practising her recipes on us for a while.
“I don’t think we can eat any more lamb meatballs.
“She’s always baking, whether it’s cupcakes or brownies, or making us tea.”
The heats for the competition were held at Newlands Community Primary School in Barwell.
Two students from the school took part in the heats.
Elizabeth Ratcliffe, 10, made a fig and rocket salad with roasted pumpkin seeds, along with Wensleydale and cranberry cheese chocolate puff pastry swirls.
Isabelle Hammond, 10, rustled up a chicken korma burger served on naan bread and rice with a mushroom salad.
For dessert she made and cherry and coconut flapjacks.
Laura said Emily will definitely be entering in next year’s competition.
Former Leicester College student and MasterChef: The Professionals contestant Andrew Greasley attended the finals event.
The competition was organised by Leicestershire Traded Services, which provides a range of services to the county’s school, including catering.
It has been running for three years.
Entries were judged by an expert panel comprising a senior dietician, local food suppliers and chefs and the service manager of Leicestershire Traded Services, Catering Service.
The overall winner was Tiana Dhorajia, 10, from The Hall Primary School in Glenfield.
She served up a smoked salmon and spinach frittata with a mixed salad, crushed baby potatoes, freshly baked bread.
She rounded off the meal with a lemon cheesecake with summer berry compote.