John of Gaunt pupil Zack Woodhouse tickled the judges’ taste buds when he claimed the title of Trowbridge Wessex Mead Rotary Young Chef 2013.
Zack, 14, won a cook-off at Wiltshire College Trowridge as part of the competition and now has a chance to take the world crown if he continues to progress through the Rotary International Young Chef Competition.
Competitors had to produce a meal for two in 90 minutes, on a budget of £10. Zack cooked salmon in a tomato and basil sauce, with green beans, and a dessert of lemon mousse with strawberry coulis in puff pastry.
He said: “I had a seaside theme for my two dishes and I was just really shocked to have won. I was pleased to take part and I’m looking forward to the next stage.”
Zack, who lives in Southwick, will be taking part in the regional finals of the Rotary competition next February. Further rounds take place later in 2014.
The John of Gaunt pupil was picked as the winner last Thursday by the competition’s judges, Paul Greenhead, the head chef at Bradford on Avon’s Fat Fowl and Steve Lloyd, a Wiltshire College catering lecturer.
Zack said that in the coming months he will be planning for the finals and that his parents, Richard and Marilyn Woodhouse, as well as his brother, Brandon, 15, have offered lots of support.
He said: “I really enjoy cooking, in general, as it’s something which allows me to get creative and it is certainly a career I would like to get into.”
For taking the Trowbridge Wessex Mead Rotary Young Chef title Zack, was given a silver plate.
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