The winner of Compass’ annual Apprentice Chef of the Year competition has been announced as Mohamed Elhrabi (Mo), Commis Chef from ESS, following the final taking place at its flagship regional community skills and learning hub - Xcelerate with Edgbaston.
Second place was tied between Roselle Wu, Apprentice Chef from ESS, and Harvey Syrett, Apprentice Chef from Levy UK. With third place taken home by Chloe Mathews, Apprentice Chef from Restaurant Associates Group.
The competition saw 10 participants get through to the final, and go on to compete for the overall Apprentice Chef of the Year title.
The competition is designed to give apprentices an opportunity to learn, develop, network and compete. The event sees each finalist presented with ingredients - this year these included guinea fowl, plaice, mussels and seasonal produce - to create a three-course meal in just two and half hours. They have had two weeks prior to the event to plan and were judged on a strict criteria, including culinary skills, presentation, flavours, cleanliness, creating minimal waste and overall balance across the three courses.
The outstanding menu concepts created by Mo included poached plaice, crispy leek nest, potato puree, smoked crispy mussels, finished with a watercress sauce split with chive oil. This was followed by lightly barbequed guinea fowl, caramelised celeriac puree, pickled wild mushroom and grilled shallots served with Madeira sauce and for dessert, figs and chocolate Mille-Feuille.
As the winner, Mo will now lead a Chef brigade made up of all the competitors, to cook his winning dishes at the annual Apprentice Chef of the Year VIP dinner. For the first time, the event this year will take place at Xcelerate and is anticipated to be attended by around 100 people.
The competition was judged by Nick Vadis, Culinary Director, Compass Group UK & Ireland and Chef Ambassador to the NHS Supply Chain; Leanne Turk, Head of Culinary Development, Foodbuy UK + Ireland; Aga Jones, Culinary Lead, Compass Group UK & Ireland; Mark Belford, Chef Academy Principal, HIT Training; and Ollie Dabbous, highly respected chef and restaurant owner.
Mo, the Apprentice Chef of the Year winner, said:
“This competition has been an incredible journey, and I can’t believe I have won. Being an Apprentice Chef is all about learning and development and this platform has given me just that! What a great bunch of talented Chefs to compete alongside and a big thank you to my mentors.”
Ollie Dabbous commented:
“I love seeing fresh talent in this kind of environment. It’s such a brilliant opportunity for them to thrive and show off what they can do. The final this year did not disappoint – standards were incredibly high – these people are the future of our industry. Well done to everyone who put themselves forward to take part and develop as individuals, I am very proud to be involved.”
Mo has been shortlisted for a Multicultural Apprenticeship Award in the Retail, Tourism and Hospitality Category which will be announced in November.
Compass is dedicated to creating learning and development opportunities, through its Our Social Promise – a commitment to positively impact one million lives by 2030. Working with people from within and outside Compass, it aims to enhance people’s opportunities and change their lives through job creation, education, training, community and charitable engagement.
Xcelerate with Edgbaston has a crucial role to play in the delivery of Our Social Promise. The training facility boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to provide a conducive learning environment. Equipped with 12 innovative cooking stations, a modern lecture theatre, practical training areas, and the latest industry-specific technology, the centre ensures a comprehensive and immersive learning experience. Alongside hospitality training Xcelerate is committed to fostering community engagement and hosts a variety of programmes, aimed at local people and those wishing to start out in the industry.
