Rick uses his loaf to win sandwich prize
RICK Mattock, one of the development chefs at local family-run business Mellors Catering Services based in Pimbo, has won the North West semi-final heat of The British Sandwich Designer of the Year competition.
Rick impressed the judges with a pulled duck Kerala with rhubarb and ginger compote sandwich.
Danielle Bretherton, company nutritionist for the food development team at Mellors Catering Services said: “We are extremely proud of Rick, who is a talented food development chef and works hard in the team to introduce new food concepts for our customers to keep us one step ahead of our competitors.
“A lot of thought goes into the ingredients and flavours we use in our dishes so having creative and knowledgeable chefs like Rick is absolutely key to the fantastic service we offer.”
The competition has six categories and judges were looking for a commercially viable sandwich containing the ingredients from one of the chosen categories.
He is now through to the grand final taking place on May 11 at the Lancaster London Hotel, to win the title and £500.
Head judge for the grand final will be celebrity chef Theo Randall.
ASKIN cancer survivor will take on a terrifying charity sky-dive to raise money for Cancer Research. Gemma Cottam, 26, beat melanoma last year after being diagnosed just after her 25th birthday.
The Asda worker is doing a charity skydive on April 2 with her fiancé, Paul Welsh, and two of her work friends, John-Paul Lawless and Victoria Moss.
Gemma said: “I’m doing it even though I’m terrified of heights. Without sounding like a sob story – I nearly died so jumping out of a plane is nothing compared to that.
“When I got diagnosed with stage three cancer that’s when I really hit rock bottom, I went into a really bad place, and I actually considered the fact that I could die.
“I was only 25 at the time and I was thinking, there’s so many things that I haven’t done. Doing a sky-dive was one of those things.”
Initially it was only Paul who was meant to be taking on the challenge for Cancer Research.
Gemma, from Skelmersdale, said: “It terrifies me that it’s going to come back, so I’ve got to live for the day.”
One of Gemma’s closest friends was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and this spurred her on to raise as much money as possible for charity.
She said: “I’m not doing this for myself, I’m doing it because so many people get diagnosed.”
Gemma and her colleagues will be doing a bucket collection at the Skelmersdale Asda where they work. She has also set up a GoFundMe page where people can donate.
To find out more about her fundraising or donate to Cancer Research, visit www.gofundme.com/my-sponsoredcharity-sky-dive