Teenager has the recipe for success

May 30 2008 by Rebecca Edwards, Chester Chronicle

A YOUNG kitchen apprentice created a stir in a national competition judged by celebrity chef Gary Rhodes – and she hasn’t even left school yet.

Helsby High School pupil Sarah Ireland, 16, took fourth place in the National Junior Chef of the Year Competition held in London earlier this month.

Each week she juggles three days of school studies, one day at West Cheshire College and one day on a placement at the Heathercliffe Hotel, Frodsham.

She competed against chefs from around the country with her dish of saddle of rabbit with baby nettle stuffing.

Judge Gary Rhodes said: “Sarah was in the top three for her main course. I liked the simplicity of her dish, which had lots of flavour in it.”

Sarah, who is currently finishing her GCSE exams and then will work at the hotel full-time, said: “I put the dish on the menu and it went down very well with the customers so I decided to use it for the competition.”