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South West chef of the year finalist
A 17-year-old City of Bristol College student reached the Student/Apprentice Chef of the Year finals.
Jamaar House, from Southmead, is an apprentice with former Roux Scholar Paul O’Neill at Berwick Lodge’s Hattusa Restaurant, and after impressing in two earlier rounds, he took his place in the final at Exeter College.
He prepared and cooked a starter of poached lemon sole, baby leeks, pickled grapes and tomato dressing, followed by a main dish of roasted pheasant, leg faggot, blackberry and celeriac.
His two plates impressed a panel of judges which included Michelin-starred chefs Michael Caines and Paul Ainsworth, but the top award eventually went to Jack Sharland, of Exeter College and Topsham’s Salutation Inn.
Adrian Kirikmaa, kitchen and restaurant manager at City of Bristol College, said: “It’s a tough, tough level of competition and to actually get to the finals is a real achievement in itself. And for the College, it was the first time we have had a student in the South West Chef of the Year finals.”
Paul O’Neill added: “Jamaar was very unlucky not to have won – from the feedback, it was extremely close between him and Jack Sharland. He is an inspiration to his fellow College learners, and for any student wanting to get into the industry, and he is an asset to the business.”
Photo: Jamaar House competing in the semi-finals at Exeter College. Photo by Matt Gilley
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