Culinary Skills Competition Provides Springboard for Budding Chef

A pupil studying food and nutrition at George Eliot Academy has won the regional final of Springboard’s FutureChef competition thanks to her clever culinary skills. Emily B from Year 10 is now one of just 12 finalists busy practicing to compete in the national finals on 13 March 2023 at Westminster Kingsway College in London. This is second consecutive year that a pupil from George Eliot Academy has been successful in reaching the final. The event will be hosted by TV chef Brian Turner, Chairman of FutureChef.

Springboard’s FutureChef is the biggest culinary schools-based programme in the UK. It supports the development of key life skills whilst inspiring young people to pursue an exciting career within the hospitality and catering sector. FutureChef supports the national curriculum and inspires young people to learn how to cook. Emily was supported by her teacher, Sharon Martini, who is the Midland Academies Trust lead for food preparation and nutrition.

Sharon said:

“Emily reached the regional heats after triumphing over her peers locally. To secure her winning position, she successfully created baked panko cod with homemade tartar sauce, chunky chips and pea puree served with a homemade lemon tart and fresh cream.  

“Emily was assigned a chef mentor from University College Birmingham who is working with her to decide on the best menu, and to fine tune the recipes and develop the skills to create the perfect dish.”

Emily triumphed in the local heat in Coventry and in the regional heat, which was held in a professional environment at Stoke-on-Trent College, producing filleted rainbow trout, chunky chips, lemon mayonnaise and broad bean puree served with spiced apple and pear crumble tart with vegan caramel sauce and vegan lemon cream. The evening before the final, Emily will take her place at a gala dinner at The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge designed to celebrate all of the finalists.

Homeira Zakary, Principal of George Eliot Academy said:

“Congratulations to Emily who is a credit to the school and won the praise of all the FutureChef judges. We wish her the best of luck in the final stages of the competition which will be a fantastic experience that we are sure she will enjoy.”