Lottie’s culinary skills wow celebrity chefs

Lottie’s culinary creations have wowed celebrity chefs and judges on the regional stage, earning her the Best Showcase of Regional Ingredients Award at South West Chef of the Year 2023.

Lottie is studying Level 2 Food, Beverage & Professional Cookery Studies at Truro and Penwith College where lecturers supported her to enter the competition.

Lottie successfully made it all the way to the grand final in the South West Student/Apprentice Chef of the Year category where she was the only student from Cornwall, proving she had all the ingredients to impress the best.

The prestigious panel of judges awarded Lottie the Best Showcase of Regional Ingredients Award alongside her highly commended finish in the Student/Apprentice Chef of the Year category.

Lottie collects her award from Michael Caines MBE

The competition is renowned for showcasing top culinary talent, providing an opportunity for chefs to boost their career with the judging panel consisting of more than 20 of the best in the business including; Michael Caines MBE, Chris Cleghorn, Richard Davies, Peter Gorton, Neil Haydock, Jude Kereama, Hywel Jones, Tim Kendall, Matt Mason, Nathan Outlaw, Scott Paton, Seth Ward, Ian Webber and Elly Wentworth.

Michelin Star chef Paul Ainsworth was also part of the panel and recently met Lottie while she was preparing for the competition as part of his partnership with Truro and Penwith College.

Lottie’s Cornish inspired cuisine featured a mouthwatering menu of partridge with a Cornish mead glaze, pumpkin purée and mulled beetroot for starters, followed by a main course of pan-fried sea bass with Autumn vegetables and a Camel Valley bacchus wine sauce.

Starter                                                                    Main

Matt Mason, Chef Director at Winslade Manor and Judge said: “For me Lottie embodies everything that is great about this competition. A wonderful competitor and worthy winner.”

Michael Caines MBE from Lympstone Manor and one of Britain’s highest profile chefs also judged Lottie’s work and said: “Well done Lottie, wonderful cooking, great use of local ingredients too.”

An elated Lottie collected her award at a glitzy award-winning dinner in Exeter, accompanied by her lecturers Tony and Andy.

Lottie said: “It has been an amazing experience.

“Thank you to all my lecturers, they have helped me at every stage, especially Andy, even staying late to help me practice.”

Lottie collected her award at a glitzy award-winning dinner in Exeter, accompanied by her lecturers Tony and Andy.