Princethorpe College student wows judges with two-course diners’ delight

Promising cook, Chloe O’Carroll Bailey, of Year 8, beat three other students to qualify for the Springboard Futurechef Regional Finals.

The competitors cooked a two-course meal, a main and a dessert, for two people in 90 minutes using a £7 budget.

Under the scrutiny of four professional chefs who were the judges for competition, Chloe, of Kenilworth, cooked a main course of pork with prunes and apple, served with green beans and roasted potatoes, accompanied by a chocolate orange fondant volcano with orange cream.

The organisers of the competition, Springboard, provide opportunities for young people aged 12-16 to explore food and develop their culinary skills.

Each year over 8,000 young chefs take part in their national competition.

The youngest competitor by far, Chloe was judged overall winner and she will now represent Coventry and Warwickshire at the Regional Final in Birmingham.

Chloe has been allocated a chef mentor, Lawrence Jeffries, who is the Executive Chef for Warwick and Cheltenham racecourses.

She also won a cookbook and will have her own set of personalised whites.

Chloe said: “I was completely in shock, I saw the standard of the other competitors and thought that their food looked amazing.

“I was so pleased to be given the opportunity to take part and never expected to win.”

Princethorpe’s Food and Nutrition Teacher, Jacqui Scott, added: “I was extremely proud - our competitors spent a lot of time and effort into menu planning and practising.

“The food produced was of the highest standard and beautifully presented.

“I am sure that the competition will become a regular event in the College calendar.”