The electric atmosphere of competition, coupled with the rattle of steaming pots and pans, was the scene at Newry & Kilkeel Institute of Further and Higher Education during the Northern Ireland Regional Final of FutureChef 2004. Pupils from 8 schools from around the Province competed for the opportunity to become the Northern Ireland FutureChef 2004 and to compete in the UK Final in London in March. A culinary trip for the winning pupil and parent to Luxembourg and Germany dangles as the carrot!

This is the 2nd successful year of the competition with the UK FutureChef 2003 title won by Martina Halligan from St Ciaran’s High School, Ballygawley.

Newry Institute was instrumental in developing the competition in Northern Ireland in partnership with seven Colleges – Armagh, East Tyrone, North West, North Down, Belfast, Fermanagh and Limavady along with Springboard UK, Northern Ireland Association of Chefs and Cooks and the Tourism Training Trust.

Judges, Michael Deane of Deanes Restaurant Belfast and Sean Owens of Gardiners Restaurant, Magherafelt, spoke glowingly of the standard of work on display and encouraged the competitors to think seriously of a career in hospitality.

Sandra Gorman, Head of Hospitality and Tourism at Newry Institute, reminded the pupils that they had been judged by the best in the industry and they had all performed as true professionals under the real pressure and competitiveness of the industry.

Bob McDonald, Vice-Chairman of the NIACC, presented medals to all the finalists while Christine McKenna from NI Seafood presented the two runners up Kirsty Cassidy – St Fanchea’s College, Enniskillen and Danielle Mellon – St Ciaran’s High School, Ballygawley with recipe books.

Mr Raymond Mullan, Director of Newry Institute, presented a knife set and all expenses trip to winner to London to compete in the UK Final against 11 other regions to Peter Tumilty, Abbey Grammar School, Newry. The winning menu was:

With this menu and the skills and focused approach of Peter, Northern Ireland stands more than a good chance of bringing home the title for a second year. For a flavour of the highlights of the Regional Competition, watch RTE 1 Nationwide on Wednesday 11 February at 7.00 pm.