Chester Grosvenor's Ben Costello crowned Cheshire Young Chef of the Year 2014,

PUBLISHED: 00:00 12 June 2014

WORDS BY LUCY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK CARR

Ben Costello, from the Chester Grosvenor Hotel, proudly displaying his winning certificate

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Ben's winning main course of Cheshire wood pigeon, spelt risotto, celeriac puree, Willington cider jus and Wirral watercress.

Ben Costello, 20, from The Chester Grosvenor has been crowned Cheshire Young Chef of the Year 2014, after wowing judges with his three course local and seasonal menu.

Ben took part in the two-and-a-half-hour cook off at South Cheshire College, as part of Essential Cuisine’s search to find the North West Young Chef of the Year.

On winning, a thrilled Ben said: ‘I can’t believe it! The quality of the chefs competing was really high, I wasn’t expected to win against them. Some of these guys have been cheffing for years, but I’ve only been doing it for just over a year.’

‘I wanted to enter to test myself, to see if I was good enough. Hopefully this competition will give me the confidence to believe in myself and my skills.’

From left to right: guest judge was Great British Menu finalist and Peckforton Castle chef Mark Ellis, Chairman of Judges Brian Mellor, Sam Whittaker from Crewe Hall Hotel, Ben Costello from The Chester Grosvenor, Essential Cuisine's Manufacturing Business Account Controller Phil Leech, Nigel Hankey from Grill on the Square, Joseph Jones from Carden Park Hotel, and Adrian Kilby from The Old Hall

Ben, from Greasby on the Wirral, faced tough competition on the day from Adrian Kilby from The Old Hall, Sandbach, Joseph Jones from Carden Park Hotel, near Chester, Nigel Hankey from the Grill on the Square, Warrington, and Samuel Whittaker from Crewe Hall Hotel.

Showing evidence of regional and seasonal ingredients, Ben began his menu with oysters, cauliflower, charred baby leeks and coastal herbs.

His main course was wood pigeon, spelt risotto, celeriac puree, cider jus and watercross. Ben completed his menu with goats’ yogurt mousse, poached field rhubarb, rapeseed oil sponge and gingerbread granola.

Judges on the day were Brian Mellor (chairman of judges), Essential Cuisine’s Manufacturing Business Account Controller Phil Leech, and the Great British Menu finalist Mark Ellis from Peckforton Castle.

Also sponsored by CHR Foodservice Equipment, the competition which is in its 12th year seeks to find young talent in the North West.

Ben will now go on to attend a master class with an acclaimed chef to hone skills with the industry’s best, before going on to compete against other regional winners in the final of North West Young Chef Competition, which will be held at Manchester College on 18th June 2014.