A top Birmingham chef has thrown his weight behind a competition aimed at inspiring a new generation of top cooks.
Luke Tipping, an award-winning chef at the Michelin-starred Simpsons restaurant in Edgbaston, has signed up to be a judge on the ‘Greens to Gourmet’ cookery challenge.
It will see Year 11 pupils from secondary schools across the city being challenged to produce a delicious meal from mystery bags of healthy and seasonal ingredients.
They will then be given 20 minutes to research a dish using the given ingredients, followed by an hour to prepare the meal which will be eaten by a panel of judges during the week-long first stage of the competition from October 5 – 10.
The short-listed dishes will go on to the semi-finals, which will be staged in November at Harborne Food School. The final round will be held on the 19th November, where an expert panel will decide the overall winner.
Chef Director Luke Tipping, Simpson’s chef director, said: “Our industry needs more chefs and I’m proud to be involved in initiatives that encourage young people to pursue a career in catering. Simpsons has been a training ground for many great local chefs and we are committed to nurturing the skills of young people. I’m looking forward to sampling the creations in the final and maybe even spotting some new chef talent.”
The winning young chef will be invited to enjoy an all-expenses paid meal for four at Simpsons.
Fay Gibbin, of Busy Bees Training – the chain of nurseries behind the initiative – said: “We know the level of creativity and passion young people can bring to the industry. We really are hoping the competition will help inspire young people in Birmingham to pursue their passion for food and cookery, while offering them the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom and provide them with a platform to represent their schools at regional level, while advancing and showcasing their culinary cleverness.”
• Any schools or Year 11 food technology students in Birmingham who wish to take part in the competition should contact claire.kniveton@busybees.com or visit www.busybeestraining.co.uk/greens-to-gourmet-catering-competition/
