Chef Poppy in outstanding effort to reach last 8 of 2000 students

By Jill Dando News

Master chef student Poppy has excelled in a regional finals, finishing in the last 8 of around 2000 students.

The student from The King Alfred School Academy in Highbridge, Somerset received huge praise for her performance at the Springboard Futurechef competition.

Poppy added to her local final dish for the Regional final after being paired with a mentor James Stamp to enhance her skills for the final held at Taunton’s Bridgwater and Taunton College facilities. 

James and Poppy had zoom calls to enhance her dish from the local final and develop her skills further. 

Poppy made a main dish of: pan-fried duck breast with spiced orange and cranberry sauce. Fondant potatoes, creamed cabbage and celeriac and parsnip puree. Followed by a dessert of Chocolate souffle with a succulent raspberry sorbet. 

Poppy is now looking forward to the Rotary Regional final on 25th February where she will be taking on a three course meal. 

She is learning from every competition and taking the feedback from the chef judges to enhance her cooking skills, enhancing the dishes she is able to prepare. 

Future in the food industry

Poppy has high hopes of a career in the food industry having secured herself a work experience role with The Olive Tree Restaurant in Bath, the only Michelin star restaurant in Bath having impressed the head chef at a competition last year.  

Teacher Natasha King said: “I am very proud of Poppy’s achievements, Poppy goes after what she wants, spending time herself practising the dishes at home and perfecting her skills for the competitions. 

“She has great ideas and takes on board feedback from the chef judges to ensure she is always improving and developing her skills.“