His dish ‘partridge with mushrooms & brassicas’ wowed the judging panel, including top chef and restaurateur Mark Hix, Lee Maycock the Game-to-Eat consultant chef plus David Taylor and Jill Grieve from the Countryside Alliance.
The event saw four catering students selected as finalists from a shortlist by Mark and Lee invited to London to prepare and cook their own partridge or pheasant recipe in one hour.
Kyle Hadley-Quinn of East Kent College took 2nd place with his Moroccan spiced partirdge with Jacob Sorrell also of East Kent College taking 3rd place with smoked bacon wrapped pheasant supreme. Shane Davies of Gower College, Swansea, was fourth with Partridge Two Ways.
Cockerill wins a week’s work experience with Mark Hix plus £250 of catering vouchers. All finalists will receive catering vouchers.
Mark Hix said: “I care passionately about seasonal British food and game is the perfect example of seasonal food at its best. It was great to see these student chefs cooking with game and we have tasted some really delicious dishes. Luke was a well-deserved winner and I look forward to welcoming him to my restaurants.”
Alexia Robinson of Game-to-Eat commented: “We have really enjoyed working with student chefs over the past few months and encouraging them to cook more often with game. The Game-to-Eat campaign has been running for over 11 years with the aim to encourage more people to cook and eat with game.”