How many Jersey ingredients can you fit in one dish?

Sunday 06 October 2019

Jersey’s top amateur chefs are being challenged to squeeze as many ingredients as possible that have been grown, reared or caught in the island into one dish in a new cooking showdown.

The culinary contest is one aspect of the ‘Skills for Life’ competition, which invites both adults and students from all of the island’s secondary schools to compete in separate categories.

Entrants are asked to submit their Jersey produce-filled dish designs by Monday 14 October, with finalists taking part in a cook-off final on Saturday 19 October at JCG. 

Pictured: JCG will host the cook-offs.

The pressure will be on for the adults in particular, whose meals will be tasted by the head chefs at two of the island’s top restaurants: Longueville Manor’s Andrew Baird, and Samphire’s Tommy Radiguet. 

The result of a partnership between hosts JCG and Genuine Jersey, ‘Skills for Life’ aims to promote healthy eating using local produce.

JCG Head of Food and Nutrition Antoinette De Louche commented: “We encourage our students to develop and extend their skills and knowledge by exploring local produce so that they can see how easy it can be to eat healthy meals. However, we forget that sometimes us adults need this encouragement too! 

Pictured: Andrew Baird, Executive Chef at Longueville Manor, is one of the judges for the adult contest.

“With our lives so busy and full we can overlook the importance of utilising fresh ingredients readily at our disposal. I hope this competition will help more of us view cooking and food preparation as a family event and time of celebration.”

Genuine Jersey Chief Executive John Garton added: “I think there is a trend for people to think more about what they are eating and in particular to try to buy as local and natural as they can. Following on from the Eat Local Challenge and initiatives that supermarkets and grocery stores are implementing, this competition can only help to raise awareness of what a great range of produce we have on our doorstep.”