Michelle a whizz in the kitchen

Michelle has won the regional heat in the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland’s annual competition.

She was named the Southern Education and Library Board regional finalist in the Special Education Category and will now go forward to the grand final of the competition, a ‘Masterchef’ style cook-off on Friday 19th March at Ashfield Boys’ High School in Belfast.

This year, budding chefs across Northern Ireland were challenged to take inspiration from the current economic climate and create a cost effective culinary delight in the Dairy Council Young Cook of the Year competition.

Entrants had to plan a healthy, nutritious value-for-money, two course meal for a family of four, costing less that 8.00.

Students were also encouraged to include some of the wide variety of high quality food produced in Northern Ireland and local dairy products such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, buttermilk and half-fat butter when creating their recipes.

Dr. Mike Johnston, Chief Executive of the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, said: “The meal that Michelle produced through her credit crunch style cooking reflects our focus this year on the ability to cook locally produced food, especially dairy products on a limited budget. Pupils must use a variety of local dairy items for example; milk, cheese and yoghurt which contain a wide range of nutrients which make dairy a simple and economic ingredient for healthy eating.”

The Dairy Council Young Cook competition supports the current Home Economics curriculum and has been developed in consultation with the Education and Library Boards and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in Northern Ireland (CCEA).

The Young Cook competition was open to students in three categories - Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Special Education. The overall category winners and the Young Cook of the Year will be announced following a special ‘cook-off’ final on Friday 19th March 2010, at Ashfield Boys School in Belfast.