Chef award semi-finalists give a taste of great things to come

Company news

Oct 07, 2015

Four chefs are set to battle it out for the title of Care UK Chef of the Year 2015.

After a series of cook-offs judges decided that the care home chefs Martin Owen, Emilio Pascucci, Peter McGregor and Alan Cash would compete in a culinary head-to-head in the final at Unilever’s professional kitchens on 20 October.

“The chefs produced a stunning array of dishes, showing a flair and imagination that really impressed the judges,” said James Clear, Care UK’s hotel services manager, and the organiser of this annual competition.

James added: “Each chef had to produce two courses for four people in 90 minutes at a total cost of no more than seven pounds. What’s more, the dishes they chose had to have a dietary requirement, creating an added challenge. However, it’s a challenge that the chefs are used to every day as many of our care home residents have a range of dietary needs.”

Martin Owen, head chef at Foxbridge House in Orpington, produced a main course of chicken roulade filled with herbed sausage meat served on a parsnip puree, with crushed new potatoes, honey glazed carrots, green beans and a tarragon sauce. He served up a banoffee pie for dessert.

Emilio Pascucci from Larkland House care home in Ascot produced a garlic and lemon infused pan-fried chicken breast in rosemary oil, served with a confit of roasted summer vegetables and a quenelle of herb and garlic creamy mash finished off with a rich red wine and mushroom jus. His dessert was a rich chocolate cheesecake on a coconut and cherry biscuit base accompanied by a sticky toffee pudding and a fragrant vanilla sauce.

Peter McGregor, head chef at Perry Manor in Worcester, produced a supreme of chicken stuffed with haggis and wrapped in savoy cabbage served with a tasty drumstick with a red wine jus plus a range of vegetables and a fondant potato. Poached pear with a raisin and walnut sponge and orange crème fraiche was his dessert offering.

Chicken breast stuffed with goat’s cheese and sundried tomato served with rosti potato, wilted spinach, roasted vine tomato and a balsamic glaze was the creation of Alan Cash, head chef at Mildenhall Lodge in Bury St. Edmunds. His dessert was a strawberry and vanilla shortbread cheesecake.

In addition to a main course and dessert, each of the four chefs had to produce an afternoon tea offering.

“I’m very excited to be into the final of the Care UK Chef of the Year competition,” said Alan Cash. “The dishes produced by the competitors were of a very high standard. Being part of this competition enables us to showcase what we serve our residents on a daily basis.”

“The quality of dishes at the semi-final was exceptional and we’re very excited about what the four chefs will produce at the grand final on 20 October,” said James Clear.

At the final, each of the Care UK chefs will be given a mystery basket of ingredients and will have just 90 minutes to cook a main course and dessert. The winner of the Chef of the Year 2015 award will be announced at the Residential Care Services Stars gala dinner at Heythrop Park Resort in Oxfordshire on 19 November.