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Cork Cleans up at Apprentice Chef Finale

Supreme Apprentice Chef George Hennessy, shares his award winning roast loin of local lamb, red currant jus, fondant potato, beetroot, baby carrots and salsa verde with Flogas Ireland's Michael Murphy at the 2015/16 Apprentice Chef Finale, sponsored by Flogas and Failte Ireland, at the Institute of Technology Tralee on Friday 6 May.  The 16 year old from Dungourney is a student at Midleton College, Cork.Supreme Apprentice Chef George Hennessy, shares his award winning roast loin of local lamb, red currant jus, fondant potato, beetroot, baby carrots and salsa verde with Flogas Ireland's Michael Murphy at the 2015/16 Apprentice Chef Finale, sponsored by Flogas and Failte Ireland, at the Institute of Technology Tralee on Friday 6 May. The 16 year old from Dungourney is a student at Midleton College, Cork.

 l/r Aoife McMahon (third) George Hennessy (Winner/Supreme Apprentice Chef) and RachelWharton (second) show off their award winning dishes at the 2015/16 Apprentice Chef Finale, sponsored by Flogas Ireland and Failte Ireland at the Institute of Technology of Tralee on Friday 6 May.  The trio are students at secondary schools in Cork.l/r Aoife McMahon (third) George Hennessy (Winner/Supreme Apprentice Chef) and RachelWharton (second) show off their award winning dishes at the 2015/16 Apprentice Chef Finale, sponsored by Flogas Ireland and Failte Ireland at the Institute of Technology of Tralee on Friday 6 May. The trio are students at secondary schools in Cork.

George Hennessy from Midleton College was announced as the Supreme Apprentice Chef with his dish of roast loin of lamb, red currant jus, fondant potato, beetroot, carrots and mint oil. The 16 year old from Dungourney walked away with a prize package that includes €1000 worth of equipment for his school’s Home Economics’ room, a specially commissioned chef Ambri Board, a professional knife valued at €130, an in-school cookery workshop with the Apprentice Chef team, a Just Cooking cook book and an annual subscription to Easy Food Magazine. Midleton College will play host to the coveted Apprentice Chef trophy, which is a unique hand carved wooden chef’s hat.

Michael Murphy, sales representative for Flogas, attended the event and presented prizes to the winner and finalists. He said, “For many of Ireland's top chefs like Neven Maguire, there is no question that gas is the type of energy they prefer to use for a culinary performance par excellence. As Flogas is one of the chief suppliers of gas to the catering and hospitality sector, we’re delighted to support the young culinary talent on show at this competition. From what I’ve seen today, the future looks bright indeed.”

Buttevant's Rachel Wharton, one of the youngest participants at 15 years old, is a transition year student at St Mary's School, Mallow and satisfied the judges' sweet tooth to secure second place with her trio of desserts.

Aoife McMahon from Midleton stole the third prize with her chicken, spinach and mushroom roulade with sweet potato and carrot purée, buttered leeks and crispy chicken skin shard. The 16 year old studies at St Aloysius College, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork.

Best Project was awarded to 2014/2015 Supreme Apprentice Chef, Stephanie Kearney from Colaiste Pobail Naomh Mhuire in Buttevant, who returned to participate in the programme for a second year.

All the finalists enjoyed an authentic restaurant kitchen experience and served dishes which ranged from a fillet of award winning Ballinwillin Farm venison to a mouth-watering double layered vegan chocolate cake to a panel of judges, which included Caroline Gray, editor of Easy Food Magazine, Ireland’s best-selling monthly food magazine. Having been mentored by accomplished Kerry chefs Mark Doe and Louise Brosnan and supported by nutritional therapist, Susie Cox, each dish had a “Good Mood Food” influence.

This is the fourth year of the Apprentice Chef Programme which was established by Mark Doe of Just Cooking Cookery School and Mark Murphy, senior lecturer in Culinary Arts at IT Tralee.

Since October 2015 over 500 students have enjoyed a series of demonstrations and workshops as part of the programme which aims to promote the importance of healthy eating to enhance physical and mental wellbeing and encourage young people to consider a culinary career to help combat the current chef crisis in Ireland.

Co-founder Mark Doe said, “Since we started the Apprentice Chef 4 years ago, 1,700 secondary school students have attended workshops and cookery demonstrations at IT Tralee. We are indebted to our sponsors, Flogas Ireland and Failte Ireland, for their support to date and we look forward to future collaboration to continue to build on the programme’s success and take it to national level.”