A TRAINEE chef who works at a Tavistock hotel has all the ingredients for success in her profession after being nominated as a finalist in the Taste of the West young chef of the year, writes John Hutchins. The regional food and drink trade organisation has asked Jennie Young from Horrabridge, who works at Brown's Hotel, to compete in a 'cook off' against two other young chefs at Exeter Catering College this Saturday. Her dishes will be assessed by top chefs Michael Caines, the Tanner Brothers, Richard Guest and the Horn of Plenty's Peter Gorton. The 18-year-old commis chef had to devise a recipe for a two-course meal. The creative chef impressed the judges with her gurnard fish starter garnish with local spring vegetable and shellfish and a traditional roast beef main course with horseradish sauce and local veg. Jennie, a former Tavistock College student who went on to complete a food and beverage course at the City College in Plymouth, has passed her National Vocational Qualifications levels two and three. She told the Times: 'I love eating good food and love cooking it. As soon as I started working at Brown's part-time I enjoyed it very much and now I'm working full-time here as a chef I can't imaging doing anything else. We are all really close here and it's a real team effort.' Jennie thanked head chef Dave Jenkins and former Brown's Hotel chef John Hooker, who has moved onto the 22 Mill Street restaurant in Chagford, for encouraging her with her entry. This is the second year running Brown's Hotel in West Street has had a chef nominated for the young chef of the year in the South West as last year Ramone Burton from Princetown enjoyed success in the same competition. Dave Jenkins was full of praise for the commis chef, and he said: 'Jennie came to work for us part-time and I could see there was so much potential there as a chef from an early age. She has worked for us for around 12 months now and she was really keen to succeed as a chef. 'Jennie is always punctual, willing to learn and listen. When she had a chance to become a full- time member of the team she jumped at it and now is already pushing to go up the ladder as a chef de partie. 'Every day she gets better and better, there is no reason she cannot go all the way.' Dave is himself facing a new challenge as he leaves this week for the renowned art deco hotel at Burgh Island, situated off the South Devon coast, after five years as head chef at Brown's. The new head chef will be Mark Lloyd. He said: 'I have seen Brown's grow from a run of the mill establishment to one of the top hotels in Devon. Hopefully, now it can go on to the next level. I have made many friends at Brown's and I will miss all of them, especially the kitchen team.'
