A talented Loughborough College student is officially one of the nation’s best young risotto chefs after finishing second in the Riso Gallo Young Risotto Chef of the Year competition.
Sam Watkins, 18, of Loughborough, went head-to-head with seven of the best young chefs in the country in the national final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on 4th April.
Judges were impressed with Sam’s wild mushroom and chestnut risotto dish which she delivered to perfection to finish second overall in the competition.
Sam said: “It is an incredible feeling to have been placed second considering it was a fierce competition and to have impressed the judges is an achievement in itself.
“The experience in Tottenham Stadium was incredible. We were given a tour of the whole stadium and couldn't believe how much work had been put into it - the amount of kitchens shown was endless! It was such an amazing place to compete in and I met so many great chefs, it was a truly unforgettable experience.
“My college peers were incredibly supportive along the way! Having them put it on the week’s menu, pushing me to produce risotto under pressure was helpful. I’d also especially like to mention 'Sapori', the Italian restaurant where I work which has helped me a lot, with the head chef demonstrating and teaching me new techniques to improve. I couldn’t have achieved it without his help or any of my peers in college.”
Sam’s prize for finishing second is a three-day internship at the Italian Embassy where she will learn from Danillo Cortellini, the embassy’s executive chef.
It is the latest in a string of successes for Sam who last year won a bronze medal in the culinary arts section of the World Skills Competition and recently secured her first professional kitchen job when she impressed a restaurant owner in a competition he was judging.
Darren Creed, Curriculum Manager for hospitality at Loughborough College said: “What more can you say about Sam? She is an exceptional student and it is so pleasing to see all of her hard work and passion paying off. We are all extremely proud of what she’s achieved.”