Four young chefs from Christchurch restaurants have cooked up a storm in the final of the Christchurch Young Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Gourmet Classic as part of the Christchurch Food & Wine Festival.

The four finalists, all under 23, - Russell Bryant from The Crooked Beam, Ben Chamberlain from The Captains Club Hotel, Matthew Hyett from The Lord Bute and Brian Lewis from Splinters Restaurant – had to come up with a three course menu which they cooked at the kitchens of Bournemouth & Poole College.

The chefs were instructed to use local produce where possible and dishes presented included saddle of venison, rack of lamb, sea bass fillet and rump of Dorset lamb, with desserts of apple tart tatin, shortbread mille feuilles, rhubarb with panna cotta and daquise sponge and rhubarb fool.

The competition was judged by David Boland, Senior Lecturer/Lead Tutor, Hospitality & Catering at the College, who was very impressed by the quality of the food they produced. David said: “Overall the standard was excellent. It shows that we have some great up and coming chefs and that can only be good for the future of the industry.

“The chef who won the competition demonstrated that he understood how to actually cook and not just present a pretty picture on a plate. I’m lucky enough to have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world and if I’d been presented with his main course dish at one of those, I would not have been disappointed, it was absolutely stunning.”

Steve Wood, Southern Account Manager from sponsors Gourmet Classic, added: “As a company we are passionate about food as we work with chefs for the benefit of chefs. To watch the intensity of the competition and sheer skills being displayed by these young chefs is an absolute pleasure and we’re delighted to be involved.”

The winner will be announced at the Oscar-style Daily Echo Best of the Best Awards on Monday 10 May.