• Grampian Chef of the Year 2009 - Finalists Announced

Hospitality Training in association with the Grampian Food Forum present the Grampian Chef of the Year competition on Monday the 25th May 2009.

This unique event will attract some of Grampian's top chefs to compete at a live cook off at Aberdeen College. The aim of the competition is to raise levels of culinary excellence in the North East and promote the imaginative use of fresh, locally sourced, and seasonal ingredients.

The competition is open to professional chefs, who work in a restaurant, hotel, or catering company in Grampian.

Over 60 entries have been submitted by chefs from across the region. Karen Black, General Manager, Hospitality Training said "We are delighted by this year's response, and have received a record number of entries especially in the senior and junior categories".

The finalist's dishes will be judged by the Federation of Chefs Scotland using the international marking criteria of the World Association of Chefs. The President of the Federation, Joe Queen said "In general the quality of submissions has been high, and I look forward to tasting the best that Grampian has to offer".

There will be eight finalists in each category, representing some of Grampian's best known eateries. The dishes will be available to customers on the menus of the establishments in the run up to the event and for a period of 1 month after.

The finalists are:

Grampian Chef of the Year
Stuart Aitken, Craigellachie Hotel, Craigellachie
David Bell, Maryculter House Hotel, Aberdeen
Lee Bell, Mercure Ardoe House Hotel, Aberdeen
Addy Daggert, Glenfiddich Distillery
Barry Gauld, The Milton Restaurant, Crathes
Ryan Paterson, The Cock and Bull, Balmedie
Mark Pollock, Malmaison, Aberdeen
Marcin Wilmowicz, The Banchory Lodge Hotel, Banchory

Grampian Contract Chef of the Year
Mark Bannerman, Entier
Stuart Donald, Aramark
Piotr Kluska, Aramark
Bruce Lawrence, Compass Group
Dougie Mitchell, Sodexo Remote
Yoram Odentz, Sodexo Remote
Craig Watt, Entier

Grampian Young Chef of the Year
Mark Ennis, Fennel Restaurant, Inverurie
James Dean, Mercure Ardoe House Hotel, Aberdeen
Alexandria Hay, The Milton Restaurant, Crathes
Tracy Mingay, Fennel Restaurant, Inverurie
Connor Paterson, Malmaison, Aberdeen
Sam Ritchie, The Cock and Bull, Balmedie
Alan Robertson, Glenfiddich Distillery
Orry Shand, Eat on the Green, Udny Green

Grampian Seafood Chef of the Year
Rosemary Armitage, The Albyn Restaurant and Bar, Aberdeen
Andrew Clark, Jaffs Bar and Restaurant, Dunecht
Ross Cochrane, Malmaison, Aberdeen
Mark Gardiner, The Carron Restaurant, Stonehaven
Darren Gimber, Kildrummy Inn, Kildrummy
Bob Miller, The Milton Restaurant, Crathes
Graham Mitchell, Malmaison, Aberdeen
Colin Redman, Zest@Crombie, Aberdeen

The day will culminate in an awards dinner, hosted by Mercure Ardoe House Hotel. Tickets are available at £45 each from Hospitality Training.

Sponsors
Grampian Food Forum, G.McWilliam Catering Butchers, Wild Tastes, UniLever Food Solutions, Mercure Ardoe House, Sodexo, The Press and Journal, Marcliffe Hotel and Spa, Cock and Bull, The Ice Cream Cabin, Aberdeen College, Braehead Foods, Mackies of Scotland, The Lairhillock Inn, The Full Range Ltd