A young chef from Benfleet has been awarded as one of the best in the UK after taking part in a prestigious competition.
Nathan Cooper, 22, from Benfleet, has been named as the runner up in the Riso Gallo UK and Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year 2023 competition.
Nathan wowed the star-studded line-up of judges with his risotto of squid and seaweed with steamed mussels and seaweed vinegar.
The young man said: “It was an amazing experience for me as a young chef to be in such a good competition. It made it a challenge to be out of my comfort zone and a good learning experience.”
He won work experience at the Italian Embassy in London and also at the new Claude Bosi restaurant at the Peninsula hotel.
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Claude Bosi is one of the UK's most recognisable chefs and is renowned for having won two Michelin stars three times with different restaurants.
Nathan competed against twelve young chefs in the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the April 3.
The dishes were judged by professional chefs at the top of their game including Paul Gayler MBE, along with Danilo Cortellini, Adriano Cavagnini, executive chef at the Bvlgari Hotel Fabio Pisani, Davide Degiovanni and Francesco Dibenedetto.
In such a close competition, the judges awarded two runners up places – Lee McDonagh took the other.
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Jason Morrison, managing director of Riso Gallo UK commented: "For over 165 years, Riso Gallo has supplied many of the top chefs across the world with Italian rice of the highest quality.
"We understand their passion and commitment to their craft, and the years of training they undertake.
"We launched this competition to help foster and reward the next generation, who can inject personality, passion and creativity into their own vibrant, exciting risotto dish. Our UK and Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year has grown year on year.”
This is the sixth year of the competition, aimed at young chefs aged between 17 and 23 years, who are either in education or starting out in their professional careers.
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