This year's Rotary Young Chef final was held at North Herts College, Hitchin on Saturday 2nd May.  Rebecca Mandall was there -  sponsored by Welwyn Garden City Rotary Club and representing Region 3 of RIBI (D1080, 1130, 1240 and 1260).

Competing against her were three other girls and four boys, and she finally finished third behind Hailey Vickers representing Region 5 and Susan Pattinson representing Region 7.

Rebecca cooked a Lapsong Suchong smoked salmon confit starter with cucumber carpaccio, lemon and dill creme fraiche together with Hertfordshire watercress and caviar.  Her main course comprised herb crusted rack of lamb served with sauteed spring greens, mashed swede, root vegetable crisps and rosemary jus while her dessert course comprised a mini asortment including orange posset, caramelised orange segments and candied zest, amoretti chocolate mousse torte with chocolate sauce and raspberry sorbet with peach puree. 

Rebecca's mother has said all along that she has achieved her success on her own and her ambition is to follow in the footsteps of those who judged her. It was obviously very close between all eight dishes because it took them an hour and a quarter to come to their conclusions. 

The chair of judges, Diana Anderson of Filippo Berio noted as she and her fellow judges, Andrew Parkinson of Fifteen London, Sara Buenfield of BBC Good Food Magazine, Andrew Turner and Chris Tanner one of the Tanner Brothers who run Barbican Kitchen in the world famous Plymouth Gin Distillery, announced the results that it had not been an easy choice. 

Rebecca won £100 for finishing third, whilst Susan won £200 and Hailey won £250, a trip to Tuscany to visit Filippo Berio's olive groves as well as a one-day cookery session in the kitchen of Fifteen restaurant in London.  All contestants received a cheque and a glass trophy whilst Hailey took home the silver cup to keep for a year and a glass trophy to keep for all time engraved as Rotary Young Chef 2009. 

Brian Billinghurst acknowledged the help and support District had received from the head of the Food Technology department at North Herts College and that provided by the members of Hitchin Tilehouse Club aided and abetted by their colleagues in the other three Hitchin Rotary Clubs.  It was a brilliant day and they had done District 1260 proud.  

“she has achieved her success on her own and her ambition is to follow in the footsteps of those who judged her”