Wirral Young Chef of the Year competition has begun: review of The Portrait House

17th November 2014

Categories: News

Wirral Young Chef of the Year - review

Will Jinkinson-representing the Portrait House, Hoylake. Tuesday 11th November 2014

Duck done three ways, The Portrait House, Hoylake

The Wirral Young Chef of the Year competition 2015 kicked off on Tuesday evening (11th November 2014) with a menu created by 20 year old Will Jinkinson, 2nd Chef at the Portrait House, Hoylake.
The exquisite ‘melt in your mouth’ crab ravioli gave diners a real taste of the sea with clever use of tarragon foam and lobster bisque. These crab parcels sat on a cushion of celeriac purée, which lifted the dish to another level-a great start indeed!
The star of the show was Will’s ‘Duck 3 ways’ with poached pear, roasted baby shallots, chard and blackberry jus. The confit, in my opinion, is always worth taking time to prepare, and the resulting meltingly tender duck leg didn’t disappoint. The second element, a succulent piece of duck breast, worked perfectly with the blackberry jus but for me the shredded duck rösti, with its subtle undertones of flavours reminiscent of aromatic crispy duck, was the stand out component of this superb main course.
And so to the dessert, the double chocolate mousse entremets. The presentation of this sponge, mousse and fresh berry combination was stunning and you could physically see diners ‘eating with their eyes’ as the desserts made their way from the kitchen to the dining room. Although a little rich for my palate, this chocolate mousse filled cake finished off a meal that represented what this competition is all about…finding culinary stars of the future who produce contemporary dishes packed with flavour and ambition.

Well done Will!

Tony Boustead
College Manager (Hospitality & Catering)
Wirral Metropolitan College

The remaining Young Chef finalists are:

Robert Wood representing the Irby Mill, Irby.
James Ryan representing the Marsh Cat, Parkgate
James Murphy representing Claremont Farm, Bebington

Do look out for the dates and venues of each of the ‘Wirral Young Chef of the Year’ nights, in the Wirral News.

For more information about the competition, click here