ROTARY ROUND-UP: Students show cooking skills in competition

Thousands of young people from primary school age to university age participate in Rotary programs to learn skills that will help them become future leaders and members of their communities.

The Rotary youth programmes allow the youngsters to discover more about themselves and the world by participating in competitions, community projects, leadership training and cultural exchanges.

Young people also learn about the principles of ethics, service and fellowship that Rotarians follow and enjoy.

Rotarians believe that it is important to support and enable young people to develop and fulfil their potential and to demonstrate the values of service from an early age by encouraging participation in these schemes.

One of these events, the local round of the Rotary Young Chef competition, was recently held at Chatsmore Catholic High School.

There were six entrants – five girls and one boy.

The entrants had to prepare and cook two courses for two people for a maximum cost of £10.

The courses could be a starter and main course or a main course and dessert.

The students had ten minutes to complete their table settings and display their menu.

They then had one and a half hours to prepare and cook their food.

Once the food was cooked, one plate from each course was presented on the set tables and one plate from each course was tasted by the judges.

The judges were Chris Frampton, teacher in food technology from Chatsmore Catholic High School, Jeremy Flaskett, West Worthing Rotary president, and local chef Mark Brocklehurst from the Empty Plate Cafe.

The criteria for judging were: costing, planning, healthy choice of dishes, presentation of table settings, including flowers, cloth, neatness of working area and hygiene, range of skills used, the meal served at a correct temperature, and the taste and presentation of the courses.

The final scores were very close but Zoe White was the winner with Lauren Kilpatrick coming second and Abbey West came third.

Zoe and Lauren will go on to the district regional final in February.

All three winners were presented with a Mary Berry cookbook and each entrant received a certificate of participation.

The whole experience was really worthwhile and satisfying and the student’s efforts were very impressive.

Chris Frampton, who organised the competition for the school, said: “I found it an enjoyable experience and more importantly all of the students that were involved found it a useful exercise and they learned a lot.”

West Worthing Rotary president Jeremy Flaskett said: “It was difficult choosing the winners. All the students worked with impressive calm and competent efficiency at their task and each showed individual flair and imagination.”

West Worthing Rotary Club would be delighted to hear from teachers, parents and young people who are interested in participating in any of the above youth schemes.

Please contact the club’s youth service officer, Sue Virgo, by email: [email protected]

Details of Worthing’s three Rotary clubs are:

• Worthing Rotary Club meets Monday, 12.55pm, at the Chatsworth Hotel, in The Steyne, Worthing, 01903 209564.

• West Worthing Rotary Club meets Tuesday evening at Tudor Close, Ferring, 01903 501961.

• Worthing Steyne Rotary Club meets Monday evening at The Ardington Hotel, in Steyne Gardens, Worthing, 07788 638757.

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