WIRRAL CHEF OF THE YEAR: We reveal who our finalists are for 2011

Apr 20 2011 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

OUR search for Wirral’s top chef starts here! We’ll be interviewing the first finalist in our Wirral Chef of the Year competition next week.

And – and for the first time in the history of the contest – we can reveal who they are.

You’ll have to read the Wirral News to find out when they’re taking part but the chefs battling it out for your votes this year are, in no particular order:

ROBERT BRYSON, Anchor Inn, Irby

KANE DICKINSON, Peninsula Dining Room, New Brighton

DAVE WILLIAMS, Portrait House, Hoylake

GEOFF DERRY The Oak Tree Restaurant, Grove House Hotel, Wallasey

DOMINIC POSPISIL, Gem Restaurant, Heswall

Each will host a Wirral Chef of the Year night at their restaurant.

They must prepare a three-course meal using local/regional and seasonal ingredients – and each chef must produce one vegetarian course.

Wirral News readers will be invited to attend and judge the chefs on their starter, main course, dessert, overall presentation, evidence of using local/seasonal ingredients, balance of menu, originality of dishes and quality and originality of the vegetarian course.

This year those votes will represent 50% of the final score.

The rest of the marks will come from a cook-off between the chefs at Liverpool Community College in October, which will be judged by Masterchef: The Professionals Claire Lara and chef Paul Askew, of the London Carriageworks restaurant in Liverpool.

The chef with the overall highest score will be crowned Wirral Chef of the Year 2011.

The competition – formerly known as Wirral Chef Shine – is supported by Wirral Council, Liverpool Community College, Wirral Met College and Wirral Farmers Market.

Last year’s winner was Richard Fox of Paesano at the Leverhulme Hotel.