London-based trainee chef Selin Kiazim has won a working placement at the one of thew orld’s best restaurants, El Bulli, after taking the title of the Spanish Young Chef of the Year.
Now in its second year, the nationwide contest was designed by Foods from Spain to inspire talented trainee chefs up to the age of 25 to explore and experiment with Spanish fresh produce and other Spanish ingredients.
The task was to create three memorable dishes that reflect the food of Spain, using specific Spanish ingredients, including persimon, chorizo and Picota cherries. The first prize is travel to Spain’s Costa Brava and spend three days in the kitchens at El Bulli.
Kiazim, a junior chef at The Providores restaurant in London, beat finalists from around the UK in a cook-off final. Her menu featured a starter of pan-fried hake with clams a la marinera and a persimmon and walnut salad; a main course of roasted Iberico pork, spiced mocilla and pumpkin croquette and a basque red bean and chorizo stew; and almond cake with sherry ice-cream, seville orange jelly and raspberry honeycomb for dessert.
Since wining last year’s Spanish Young Chef of the Year competition, David Powell trained for 10 days in the kitchen at El Bulli, and also gained work experience at two further Michelin starred restaurants, Maze (London) and Cinc Sentis (Barcelona).
María José Sevilla, director of Foods from Spain, said: “We were very impressed by the standard of entries in this second year of the competition. Last year’s winner David Powell has had some incredible experiences as a result of winning the title of Spanish Young Chef of the Year. I am sure that Selin will go on to achieve similar success in her career.”
Second and third places in the competition were taken respectively by Chilean contestant Juan Sanchez Chavez, a trainee at Thames Valley University and Ben Murphy, a trainee at Westminster Kingsway College.
The competition was judged by José Sevilla, chef and author Peter Gordon and food writer and Westminster Kingsway chef lecturer José Souto.
Foods from Spain plans to launch the Spanish Young Chef of the Year 2011 competition in the autumn.
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