Student reaches national cooking competition finals

Jack Miladinovic has now won four heats to make it to the national final in Lincoln next month.

He fended off competition in Scarborough, York, Harrogate and Halifax with his cooking skills.

Perfecting his three-course-meals, Jack has been working hardto fine-tune his skills and now fillets sea bass from the bone for his main course.

At the regional heat in Halifax, Jack served up a king prawn salad drizzled in chilli and garlic for starter and sea bass with parsnip puree for main.

For dessert he dished up a de-constructed cheesecake which has wowed the judges throughout the competition.

The 17-year-old said: “I was very excited to have won the regional round and am very proud of myself, and my family are over the moon.

“In the national final, when one of the finalists is crowned the Rotary Young Chef of 2016, I will make sure that my dishes and paperwork are all up to date so hopefully it will give me an advantage.

“I have had a few more practices.”

Last week the BBC filmed at the college as celebrity chef James Martin, a former student, is leaving Saturday Kitchen.

Jack added: “An old catering teacher at Yorkshire Coast who taught James Martin came in to visit and I cooked my dishes for him and he was very impressed.

“I look forward to visiting Lincoln next month.”

The teenager, from Whitby, works as a chef at the town’s Marine restaurant.

The final takes place on Saturday April 16 at Lincoln College.