The Professional and Young Professional finalists for the South West Chef of the Year have been announced After a hotly contested semi-final, held at Exeter College on Saturday, The South West Chef of the Year competition has announced its finalists. The competition, now in its eleventh year and sponsored by 3663, is split into Professional, Young Professional and Student Chefs. Four finalists have proceeded into the final from the first two categories, and three have advanced in the Student Chef department. The chefs showed quality and inventiveness as they presented their dishes to the judges, including Neil Haydock, Peter Gorton, Paul Ainsworth and Matt Mason. They all acknowledged that the standard achieved was truly exceptional. Paul Ainsworth explained: "Not only are we seeing real skill and flair but a commitment to using the excellent regional ingredients that these chefs have at their fingertips; it is an exciting time for British cooking and the south west is certainly producing chefs we can be proud of." All semi-finalists prepared a two-course meal using compulsory ingredients supplied by either Pipers Farm or Kingfisher Brixham. The chefs had a choice of fish, including mackerel, cod and whiting; or a cut of meat such as Red Ruby rump tail, pork tenderloin and lamb neck fillet. Eight professionals competed for a chance to win the coveted prize sponsored by Ritter Courivaud. The candidates through to the final are:
Stuart Brown, Senior Sous Chef at Combe House Hotel in Devon; Dale McIntosh, Head Chef at Merchants Manor in Falmouth; Eddy Rains, Head Chef at The Wheatsheaf in Combe Hay, Somerset; and