Quality Standard beef mince Young Chef Challenge 2007
Talented students crowned Young Chef champions by James Martin
The 2007 search to find England's gifted young chefs of the future is over! Five pupils, aged 11-16, have beaten off stiff competition from around the country in a cookery challenge to take the title of Quality Standard beef mince Young Chef Champion.
The challenge was launched by the English Beef and
Lamb Executive (EBLEX) in 2006.
Students from Key Stages 3 & 4 were asked to submit their own original Quality Standard beef mince recipe. Along with a timeplan and budget breakdown.
Entries flooded in and after whittling it down to 43 regional finalists, five tense cook-offs took place around the country. The students were each given just one hour to prepare and cook their dishes, which were created on a strict budget of £10.
Their cooking skills and final dishes were put to the test by judges James Martin, celebrity chef and Denise Spencer-Walker, Food Advisor from EBLEX. Five regional winners worthy of the 1st place Young Chef Champion title were selected.
London heat
Lily Nichols from Alec Hunter Humanities College in Braintree Essex, for her Mexican
Lasagne with Stuffed Tomatoes
Leeds heat
Daisy Cox from Prince Henrys Grammar School in Otley, for her Beef Enchiladas with Chocolate
Midlands heat
Vitor Zanatta from Ludlow Church of England School in Shropshire, for his Stuffed
Polenta
Bristol heat
Amelia Lyons from Chew Valley School in Bristol, for her Stuffed Pancakes
Reading heat
Nicole Rollet-Marus from Garth Hill College in Bracknell for her Meatball Sundae
James Martin and Quality Standard’s ‘Beefy’ character presented the winners with professional chef whites and signed certificates confirming their status as Young Chef Champions as well as £200 worth of school equipment vouchers.
James Martin commented: "A huge congratulations to all the winners! They all scored top marks for producing an original, nutritious dish that was fantastically presented. All the contestants were passionate and knowledgeable and it was a difficult choice to select the final five.
"The great thing about this challenge is it encourages youngsters to really think about their food. For the second year running I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the level of talent and passion expressed by the students and am sure we have not seen the last of these gifted individuals!"
Denise Spencer-Walker, Food Advisor from EBLEX, says: "I am over the moon that the Quality Standard beef mince Young Chef Challenge has once again achieved its goal of getting youngsters back in the kitchen. It is important to encourage the younger generations to learn vital life skills.
"Each of the winners created recipes that were nutritionally balanced, wholesome and above all tasty! Well done to all our winners and all those who took part!"
To ensure you are really buying quality beef mince always look out for the
Quality Standard Mark. 
This patchwork fields label can be found on mince beef
in supermarkets and independent butchers. The label not only tells you that the
meat you are buying has been produced to the strictest guidelines and independently
audited. It also guarantees provenance and assures you that the mince is 100%
beef with no added water, additives or fillers and contains no more than 20% fat.
For more information on the Quality Standard beef mince
Young Chef Challenge please contact youngchefchallenge@goodrelations.co.uk
For more information about the Quality Standard Mark,
as well as a range of delicious recipes for all occasions, please visit www.beefyandlamby.co.uk