7:57pm Wednesday 7th May 2008
By Jenny Bell
A YOUNG chef has gained a berth at a top restaurant after winning a prestigious cooking award.
Ryedale School pupil Tom Souter, of Helmsley, beat 4,000 other contenders to take the national title of Rotary Club's young chef of the year at the Rotary's Great Britain and Ireland Final, at Westminster Kingsway College, in London, last month.
The 16-year-old started his career as a pot washer in the kitchen of the Michelin starred restaurant, the Star Inn, Harome. Now, 18 months later, restaurant boss Andrew Pern has snapped up the talented youngster to become a full-time chef.
Tom, who was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Helmsley and District, cooked an elaborate three-course healthy menu for only £15 to win his national crown.
The teenager impressed the panel of judges with his mouth-watering dishes of salad of langoustine on marinated goat's cheese with confit of cherry tomatoes and a citrus mayonnaise. This was followed by a trio of duck served with thyme mash and orange sauce. His dessert was fresh vanilla pot with compote of rhubarb.
He was presented with the Rotary Rose Bowl trophy by Allan Jagger, president of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, and received a cheque for £250.
The youngster also won a trip with his mother to watch this year's olive oil harvest in Tuscany.
Tom said: "I am really pleased with winning the competition. As part of my prize I will get to spend a day cooking at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant in London, which will be a great experience."
Judge Trevor Howard, of London-based Fifteen Restaurant, said all the finalists produced some exceptional dishes. "The eight finalists have all done really well," he said. "I have been thrilled by the tastes and delightful flavour combinations produced by the young chefs. They are all outstanding youngsters."
Tom, who is studying for his GCSEs, will begin his cooking career at The Star Inn when he finishes his exams in the summer.
Tom's delighted mother, Alison, said: "He will get the best training, which will include day-release at York College," she said. "Many young people go to university and still don't know what to do when they leave."
Alison, who works at the Black Swan, in Helmsley, as manager of the tea room and patisserie, said her son's cooking bug had grown because of watching what went on in the hotel kitchens.
"Tom did his work experience here and just loved the atmosphere in the kitchen," she said.
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