Ewan competed against 8 other finalists for the North District of the Rotary Young Chef Competition (that’s everywhere south of Scotland to Derby.) It was hosted at Leeds City College, with 700 students entering this competition in the North alone. 

I have the real privilege to tell you that Ewan won! No one at UVHS has ever got further than this stage in the competition and he will compete against 7 other finalists from the remaining regions in the UK. 

The only downside is they have postponed the final given the Covid-19 outbreak. The competition is also sponsored by Filippo Berio with the prize normally being a two day trip to a cookery school in Tuscany.

Ewan only had two weeks to prepare for this round (one of which was work experience,) after a mistake with the organisers and has even found the time to impress Lakeside Hotel and start cheffing in the larder kitchen. 

He really performed at the highest level with the lead judge choosing his starter of steamed sea bass with pickled apple scales and lemon beurre blanc as the dish of the day. 

-Mrs Ford