Guernsey Press

Young chefs prep for finals on Friday

CULINARY techniques are being perfected in time for this month’s Rotary Young Chef final and Woody James has been taking every chance to prepare.

Published
Woody James with mentor Shaun McDonald at The Rockmount, ahead of the local Rotary Young Chef final on Friday at St Sampson’s High School. (Picture by Sophie Rabey, 26539407)

The Elizabeth College entrant showed the skill level of the competition as he deftly prepared a pan fried salmon while under questioning and the watchful eye of mentor Shaun McDonald.

On Friday, eight young islanders will be taking each other on to represent Guernsey in the UK at the Rotary Young Chef competition. The winners will be announced at Old Government House Hotel on Saturday.

‘I’ve managed to get through one round and I would love to get through the next,’ said Woody.

‘I practise at home a lot and I like to get in practise whenever I can. I am definitely learning a lot and being able to develop a lot of different cooking techniques.’

He says he has learned how important keeping your concentration is and how certain techniques can improve speed and safety when cooking.

Mr McDonald knows just how proficient Woody is at cooking and said that his main areas of improvement came in the presentation section.

‘It has mainly been getting him ready for competition. The things we have been teaching Woody, like the garnishing, are techniques that are really only suited to competition but they allow him to refine the presentation of his dishes, which can only help him in the environment he will be cooking in.

‘We know Woody can fry a piece of fish and I know he has been taught well at home, his menus were excellent and I had very little input on the ingredients. He knew it all and what he wanted to do with it.’

The Guernsey final will be at St Sampson’s High School, where competitors will produce a three-course meal for less than £20.