Aspiring chef Patryk Wodczynski represented Hull College with pride in the Young Risotto Chef of the Year Northern heat at Middlesbrough College last week.

Coming up against eight other hopeful young chefs - who all came from a number of colleges based in the north of England - the Level 3 Culinary Skills student reached the last four to finish as one of the runners-up. The judging panel for the heat was led by Jason Morrison from Riso Gallo, professional chef Stephanie Moon and Andrew Rogerson from Essential Cuisine.

The annual competition searches for young chefs who can inject personality, passion and creativity into their own vibrant and exciting risotto dish that would challenge them and show their joy and passion for cooking.

After ten regional heats, the grand final of the competition will be held at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April. The overall winner will receive an all-expenses paid three-day work experience with renowned judging chef Fabio Pisani and his team at the two Michelin starred Il Luogo in Milan, Italy. The runner-up will win a stage at the Italian Embassy in London.

Reflecting on his experience in the competition, 18-year-old Patryk said: “It was a fantastic experience to take part in the competition. It was fun and a little bit stressful at the same time. I received feedback that my rice was a little on the thick side but, on the other hand, I did get complimented for my meatballs and keeping my head after slightly burning my rice on the first attempt. Overall, it was a great learning experience, especially considering it was my first competition.

“My career dream is to be a chef, and I know that the skills I am learning on my course are helping me to achieve this. Hull College is a fantastic place to study. There are lots of opportunities here to learn and develop skills - and most importantly, it’s so much fun!”

Catering & Hospitality tutor Matthew Dominey added: “We were proud of the way Patryk stepped up and represented the college at such a prestigious event like the Young Risotto competition. He put in lots of hard work in the build-up to the competition to prepare and the competition itself was a great experience for him and all the other young chefs involved on the day.

“Hull College has a long and successful tradition of entering its catering and hospitality students in competitions. It’s a great way to put to the test what they’ve learned in college in an environment where pressure and time constraints are used to help them grow and develop as chefs and, ultimately, help them, prepare for working in the industry.”

Click here to learn more about the Catering and Hospitality courses at Hull College.

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