Young chef returns from cook-off in Chile

The 20-year-old, a member of the British Culinary Federation, who works at Edmund's restaurant in Brindley Place, Birmingham, finished sixth out of 17 countries in the Hans Bueschkens Junior Chef Challenge. The event took in January during the World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS) Congress in Santiago. Aaron, who was runner-up in the British Culinary Federation Young Chef of the Year 2009, was given less than a month to prepare for the competition after the original competitor had to drop out. "I'm delighted with my performance considering how much notice I had," said Aaron, who impressed an international panel of judges by preparing a three-course meal for eight covers from a mystery basket of ingredients. His menu included a medley of fish stews as a starter, rib-eye beef with potatoes on a bed of green beans for main course and a sweet consisting of chocolate soufflé, accompanied by passion fruit ice cream and raspberries. Nigel Crane, managing director at Essential Cuisine, said the company was delighted to once again have worked with young chefs in supporting their development and to have sponsored Aaron. "It was a pleasure, as always, to work with the British Culinary Federation and to have helped such an obviously talented young chef to further his career," he explained.