Coeliac UK Gluten-free Chef of the Year: Finalists announced
A live cook-off, judged by celebrity chef and food ambassador of Coeliac UK Phil Vickery and a panel of experts, will see the professional cooks and catering college students design a three-course, gluten-free meal for two. At the Unilever Food Solutions Culinary Business Development Centre in Leatherhead.
The judges said: “We were once again very impressed with the quality of entries this year. After spending a day reviewing and deliberating all the entries, the six we have shortlisted for the cook off demonstrated both creativity and a clear understanding of what people with coeliac disease would like to see on a menu when eating out.
The competition is comprised of two categories; Gluten-free Chef of the Year, for chefs over the age of 23 and the Up and Coming Gluten-free Chef of the Year, for catering students and trainee chefs under the age of 23.
After an extensive first round of blind judging the following have been named as the three finalists from each category:
- Jason Church, from Chessington in Surrey, chef and owner of RED Private Dining
- Tallis Baker-Voakes, from Islington, London, Chef de Partie at Roka Restaurant, London
- Rob Lewis from Dartmoor, Devon, General Manager & Executive Chef at Moorlands House & Dandelion Cafe
- Eleanor Tuck from Grimsby who is studying NVQ Professional Cookery level 3 at Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
- Perry Langley from Northampton who is studying Professional Chef Award level 2 at Northampton College
- Valerio Grimaldi-Plant, from Wolston near Coventry who is studying VRQ level 2 diploma in professional cookery at Stratford-upon-Avon College in Rugby.
