Teenage Chester chef is runner-up in UK Gluten-Free Chef of the Year competition

Dec 4 2009 by Jo Henwood, Chester Chronicle

A YOUNG Chester chef has been recognised for his culinary creations for people on a special diet.

Grosvenor Hotel’s demi-chef-de-partie Daniel Beech, 18, is runner-up in Coeliac UK’s Up-and-Coming Gluten-Free Chef of the Year competition.

The youngster, a former pupil at Bishop Heber High School, first started experimenting with gluten-free food for his food technology GCSE as a close friend of his family has coeliac disease. Anyone with the condition cannot tolerate gluten which is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats.

Daniel admits that it is not easy but that it can be done. He said: “It is harder to achieve with things like pastry and bread but most dishes can be adapted to be just as good.”

Daniel’s successful recipe was a butternut squash tartlet, dab with polenta cakes and banana crème Bavarois.

“The competition was recipe based but I had a week’s holiday from work so I made all the dishes and took photos of them.”

The competition, was judged by Michelin- starred chef Raymond Blanc who said: “I was really impressed by the quality and attention to detail in the entries for this competition. Although more common than many people realise, the condition is not taken seriously enough by far too many chefs. We all need a few really good gluten-free recipes in our repertoire.”

Daniel has recently completed his NVQ2 and apprenticeship run by Total People at the Chester Grosvenor.

He received his prize of a set of knives from 3663 and Sodexo and a signed copy of Blanc’s latest book at a presentation at his award winning Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons restaurant and hotel in Oxfordshire.

First place in the competition went to Shanice Parris who wins a one week placement at The Vineyard, Stockcross with chef Daniel Galmiche.