Milton Keynes College student named Young Pastry Chef of the Year

Twenty-one year old Holly Woodman from the Claire Clark Academy at Milton Keynes College has been crowned, Young Pastry Chef of the Year. Holly prepared a stunning menu for a stellar panel of judges comprising giants of the pastry chef world, Mick Burke, Claire Clark, Benoit Blin, Liam Grime, Mark Poynton and Jerome Dreux.

Holly’s winning entry included a chocolate and pistachio soufflé with chocolate sauce and crumb, followed by tropical fruits dessert with tempered white chocolate collars, mango mousse and coconut sorbet and a selection of whole shortbread and orange shortbread petit fours.

When she was declared the winner she said, “That was completely unexpected! I’ve had a passion for baking for quite some time but have only been learning professionally for six months. Being up against chefs who have done competitions before and work in kitchens, compared to me who works in a shop and trains two days a week, it still feels like a dream. I went in to the competition focused and gave everything I could.”

Holly’s mentor on the Patisserie Course is Team Leader, Andrea Ruff.

She says, “I am so pleased for Holly; what a magnificent achievement.  Right from the outset she’s showed a professional attitude way beyond her years. She maintains her own impeccable standard which makes her a very special young lady and I am so proud of her whole performance. Holly only started her course in September so what she achieved today shows what a true talent she has for patisserie.  Holly has been inspired by our guest pastry chefs here at the Claire Clark Academy, and while on work experience with Claire Clark at her business, Pretty Sweet in London.  Holly now has her sights set on working in a hotel patisserie section to hone her skills while studying for her next qualification here in September 2018.”

The prizes Holly has won would be a dream for any pastry chef including trips to two lavish events organised by the Master Chefs of Great Britain (who organised the competition), a visit to the world famous Koppert Cress herb nursery in Holland, a roll of Chefi knives, £250 in cash and the chance to do work experience (a “stage” as it’s known in the trade) with world famous pastry chef, Laurent Duchene, at his patisserie in Paris.

Holly can barely contain her excitement. “Knowing I’ll be going to the stage with Laurent Duchene is a dream, and never would have expected to be achieving that so close to the beginning of my journey. I’m just absolutely over the moon and can’t thank my lecturer Andrea Ruff, the Claire Clark Academy, all the sponsors and the judges enough – everyone down to my parents and friends who have had enough shortbread, mango mousse and chocolate soufflés to last a lifetime have played a part in my winning. This is just the beginning of what I hope will be a lifetime of happy cooking.”

Head of School for Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy, Catering, Hospitality and Events at Milton Keynes College, Maria Bowness, said, “We were thrilled when it was announced that our own finalist, Holly Woodman, who studies at the Milton Keynes College Claire Clark Academy, had won the competition. Holly and her mentor, Patisserie Course Team Leader, Andrea Ruff worked tenaciously to prepare for the competition and we are so proud of them. On behalf of Milton Keynes College I want to thank the Master Chefs of Great Britain for giving us the chance to host the David Lyell Scholarship, Young Pastry Chef of The Year competition in the Claire Clark Academy.”  

The academy is run under the auspices of Bake Off Crème de la Crème judge, Claire Clark MBE, and offers a range of unique Patisserie courses. Students learn specialist techniques and study in a brand new state-of-the-art pastry kitchen receiving expert tuition.

Murray Chapman from the Master Chefs of Great Britain says, “Planning and executing the Competition at The Claire Clark Academy at MK College has been a fantastic experience which will hopefully inspire many more Young Pastry Chefs of the future. One of the main reasons for holding the final in Milton Keynes was the fantastic facilities available to chefs and supporters who were able to see precisely what contestants were doing and to taste their wonderful creations at the end. Congratulations to Holly who is a worthy winner.”

For more information please email Jonika Kinchin at Milton Keynes College or call on 01908 684444.

Milton Keynes College is proud to be an open and inclusive general Further Education College welcoming learners of all levels and delivering an exceptional educational experience.

The College offers a broad range of qualifications with more than 3,000 16 – 18-year-old full-time students studying vocational study programmes, apprenticeships and Higher Education.

In addition, the College delivers employability and key skills training programmes to 3,000 people in local community learning centres and is one of the largest providers of Offender Learning in England, working with prisons across the East Midlands, South Central and West Midlands.

The Master Chef of Great Britain was formed in 1980 to provide a forum for the exchange of culinary ideas and to further the profession through training and guidance to young chefs. 

The MCGB seeks to promote all that is best about British cuisine and produce available in this country to both the chef and the consumer.  Our members are particularly interested in sourcing local ingredients and in supporting small producers. 

The association and individual members provide demonstrations at both trade and retail shows and many offer cookery courses at their restaurants.  All these activities are reported in our magazine ‘masterchefs’.

For more information on the MCGB association, membership, sponsorship, competitions and activities email Sue McGeever or call on 01884 35104.