Food Excellence Awards
Seafood
Jack Baker
Head chef, the Cricket Inn,
Totley, Sheffield
0114 2365256
Tenure: Enterprise Inns lease owned by Thornbridge brewery's Brewkitchen brand.
Dish: Chowder of British Isles seafood with Old Bay spices and potted shrimp toast (£12).
Why is it a winner? It's a hearty pub dish full of the fruits of our own seas.
Background: Jack has been a chef for eight years and trained at Colchester college. His places of work include the Orient Express hotel and three and a half years working for Richard Smith at his three AA rosette and Michelin Bib Gourmand outlets.
Judges' comments
Fantastic presentation and beer match. The dish was hearty and tasty. Jack's a skilled chef and a clean, methodical worker.
Mathieu Eke
Chef/licensee, the Helyar Arms,
East Coker, Somerset
01935 862332
?helyar-arms.co.uk
Tenure: Punch lease
Dish: Roast monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, saffron mash, cherry tomatoes and spinach (£15).
Why is it a winner? This dish is great to l
ook at and all of the flavours work well together - the Parma ham and saffron add new elements to the dish.
Background: Mathieu has been head chef at the Helyar Arms for nearly five years and took on the Punch leasehold last June with partner Jessica Moore.
Judges' comments
The colours looked fantastic on the plate. Mathieu's knowledge of ingredients and sourcing was fantastic.
Shannon Wilson
Head chef, the White Swan,
Fetter Lane, London
0207 2429696
?thewhiteswanlondon.com
Tenure: One of Tom and Ed Martin's seven pubs
Dish: Roast halibut with savoy cabbage, lardons, palourde clams and white wine sauce (£19)
Why is it a winner? The flavours of the halibut and small, sweet clams work well with the dark, smoky Alsace bacon, creating a dish that works well as a light lunch or with a side order as a substantial dinner.
Background: Shannon has been a chef for 12 years and his CV includes sous chef at Asia de Cuba, London, and sous chef at Babylon at the Roof Gardens, London. During his time at Babylon, Shannon worked on Richard Branson's game resort in Africa and on his private island in the Caribbean.
Judges' comments
Shannon is a very skilled chef with some great ideas in the kitchen.
