Competitors from across the county take part in live cook-off in a bid to become Eat Suffolk finalists.
Six talented chefs from Suffolk put their skills to the test on Monday (January 13) as they competed against one another to earn a coveted finalist spot in the Eat Suffolk Food and Drink Awards 2020.
Sam Sturman of The Brewers in Rattlesden, Greig Young of The Northgate, Bury St Edmunds, Grant Newland of The King's Arms, Haughley, Lewis Ryan of The One Bull, Bury St Edmunds, Swan Auffray of The Great House, Lavenham, and Thomas Coleman of The Swan, Lavenham each prepared three courses as part of the Chef of the Year contest.
The cook-off took place at West Suffolk College's Edmunds restaurant, under the watchful eyes of judges Galton Blackiston of Michelin starred Morston Hall Hotel, chef, cookery teacher and food writer Emma Crowhurst, and Didier Piot, from category sponsor Fisher and Woods.
Didier said: "What a great cook off. The bar has been raised and I truly believe that we had some of the best of Suffolk in terms of chefs and produce. We are very fortunate to have such talent on our doorstep. All chefs that took part did extremely well and the final decision was a tough one."
Mike Mulvihill, of Edmunds Restaurant, added: "The Academy of Culinary Arts has hosted these prestigious events for the last three years. It is one of the highlights of our calendar. To see so many talented chefs from this area competing at such a high level is fantastic, especially as over the last two years we have seen a number of our ex students competing.
Four of the six chefs will be selected to attend the awards ceremony this April at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds, where the overall winner will be announced.
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Sam Sturman
Starter: Suffolk crab and sea truffle agnolotti, kohlrabi and coastal sea herbs
Main course: Wattisham wild duck, Suffolk glazed faggot, celeriac, Lavenham honey and Hill Farm rapeseed
Dessert: Hazelnut and Frangelico bavarois, Crude coffee and Pump Street chocolate
Greig Young
Starter: Baron Bigod tortellini, grey oyster mushroom pickles and truffle
Main course: Crispy fried Sutton Hoo chicken, black garlic mayonnaise, warm pickled turnip and turnip cream
Dessert: Whipped Tosier chocolate, raw milk ice cream, cocoa nib crackling and sweet and sour espresso
Grant Newland
Starter: The Chicken - Chicken liver parfait, pickled celeriac, Port gel, salted apple and brioche
Main course: The whole chicken - Breast, wing and oyster of Sutton Hoo chicken, confit yolk, roasted salsify, charred and pickled baby turnip, oyster leaf, and roast chicken sauce
Dessert: And, NOT the chicken - Apple parfait, toffee apple, sour apple gel, honeycomb and shiso leaf
Lewis Ryan
Starter: Pigeon, roasted squash and purée, and pickled rhubarb, finished with a pigeon sauce
Main course: Pa- fried cod fillet with a chestnut mushroom ketchup, pickled and fried wild mushrooms, roasted chestnut and pea fricassee finished with a pea velouté
Dessert: Nutmeg and cinnamon roasted pears in a crumble tart finished with an orange infused crème fraiche
Swann Auffray
Starter: Sea bream tartare, red cabbage, Granny Smith apple and walnut cream
Main course: Pork fillet, mulled wine sauce, Jerusalem artichokes, butternut squash, parsnips and chestnut
Dessert: Vanilla and orange filo mille-feuilles
Thomas Coleman
Starter: Scallop tartare, compressed cucumbers, red radish, crispy bread chaff and bronze fennel
Main course: Roasted saddle of Suffolk venison with celeriac fondant, celeriac puree, pickled blackberries, and cavelo nero
Dessert: Poached rhubarb, vanilla panna cotta, crumble, apple and ginger puree and coriander
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