Island’s young chefs are hot stuff
THREE teams have now been selected to take part in the ‘cook off’ final of the 2016 Field to Fork competition run by Argyll College.
The judges were impressed with the first round menu submissions and have selected two teams from Tobermory High School and one from Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh who will now compete for the winner’s trophy and £100 prize money.
The teams will prepare their two- course menus for the judging panel in the college’s professional training kitchen at its Oban centre today (Thursday November 3).
The competition is being held as part of Argyll Enterprise Week and has been designed to encourage senior school pupils to explore the local food and hospitality industries.
Alexander McLean and Joseph Mitchell from Tobermory High will be cooking Inverlussa mussels in a white wine and parsley sauce, served with freshly baked soda bread, followed by spaghetti carbonara using Isle of Mull bacon and smoked cheese, served with Glengorm herb and leaf salad.
Also from Tobermory, Torran Mealand will be making Mull smoked haddock with a parsley sauce and Glengorm onion mash, followed by individual Glengorm carrot cakes topped with Isle of Mull crowdie icing.
Hermitage Academy’s Grace Lewis, Leah MacPherson, Amy Ringham and Cara McQueen will be cooking Argyll smoked haddock and potato timbales followed by ‘Scottish bread pudding gold edition’ with berries and cream.
Teams will be judged on their creative use of local food and their approach to seasonal ingredients, as well as the quality and presentation of their finished dishes.
The guest judge is Shaun Squires, head chef at the Manor House Hotel in Oban. Shaun will be as assisted in judging by Argyll College hospitality curriculum manager, Darlene Russell, professional cookery tutor Chris Wolfe and University of the Highlands and Islands regional skills group project manager Wilma Brown.
Each team member will receive an Argyll College apron and the winning team will receive a trophy and £100 for their school.