19 Jul Hats off to Chef Tom!

We’re bubbling away with pride following the news that our Head Chef, Tom Bennetts, has made it through to the semi-finals of the National Chef of the Year competition, described as ‘The UK’s most prestigious culinary title’!

He now has an anxious wait to see whether he’ll become one of just 10 chefs to make the final, which takes place in London this October.

For the next stage, he was asked to create an amuse-bouche or pre-dessert along the theme of ‘A Taste of Summer’, using seasonal ingredients and inspired by a connection with a personal food hero. His creation – ‘Strawberry, Rodda’s Clotted Cream Sponge, Loganberry Jelly & Yuzu Granita’ was divine and certainly gets our vote!

Getting to the semi-finals of this national competition is an amazing achievement, especially when you consider that many of the chefs through to the final stages will be working in Michelin-starred establishments.

Tom’s entries showcase the beautifully refined dishes he’s inspired to create with local ingredients and low food miles. These are the kind of dishes you’ll regularly see on our daily specials menu here at The Driftwood Spars, where Tom brings his high standards and attention to detail to good old fashion pub food too. Whether he makes it through to the next stage of the competition or not, we’re very proud of him.

Tom will find out at the end of this month if he’ll be competing at the final. We’re keeping everything crossed for him!