James has the recipe for success

James Richardson, from Markethill, was one of 20 chefs from across Ireland shortlisted for the final, which was held at a Dublin hotel.

He and the other contestants were given two hours to cook the three-course meal of their choice, in front of an audience and a panel of three judges.

Despite the pressure cooker atmosphere, James kept his cool and produced a winning starter of pan seared wood pigeon, followed by a main course of roasted sea bass, smoked haddock and langoustine ravioli, with white chocolate lemon and basil mousse for dessert.

Although James is just 26, he has already had numerous successes during his career. Last week’s competition was his 28th and previous awards include two silver medals at the World Olympics and silver and gold medals at the Culinary World Cup, where he competed as part of the National Irish Junior Culinary Team. He also finished third in the world overall.

After last week’s success he has been invited to join the senior team, an invitation which he has already accepted.

James has been interested in catering since he was in second year at Markethill High School. He said, “My mum and dad had an outside catering business which they ran from home, and a chip shop, so there was always cooking going on.

“Dad also used to take me with him when he was doing functions and I used to help him set things up.”

In fact, James’s parents, Kenny and Jewel Richardson, still run the chip shop, The Dolphin Takeaway, in Markethill’s main street.

After leaving school, James did his NVQ Level 2 and 3 at Newry Catering College, and began his career at the Seagoe Hotel as a commis chef, before moving to the Planters Tavern in Waringstown as second chef, and then just over a year ago, to the Bronte Steakhouse.

Ian Clyde, who runs the Bronte Steakhouse with his brother Roy, said, “We are chuffed to bits at James’s success. He really deserves it. We all get on so well together, both in and out of work.”

As for James, the hard work and often unsociable hours of the restaurant trade don’t bother him. “I love my job. I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” he said.

James isn’t wasting any time basking in his success. Instead, he has been hard at work with fellow chef Gary Gamble - a former chef at the Seagoe Hotel who took the young James under his wing and now runs the Flavour Academy cookery school in Banbridge.

The pair have been tweaking parts of James’s winning recipe, and changing the main course, in preparation for his entry into the forthcoming NI Chef of the Year competition.

James doesn’t plan to stop there either, “My next aim is to open my own restaurant some day," he said.

Now that really would be the icing on the cake!