Caitlin McInerney and Kate Hehir from the Inagh-Kilnamona Youth Club were among the big winners at the fourth annual Clare Youth Service Masterchef cook-off, held at St Flannan’s College in Ennis.
The duo created a delicious golden chicken with braised greens and potato gratin. Along with their granny’s apple cake, the dish secured the judges’ approval as well as a range of culinary-related prizes from Clare Bar Supplies and the Ennis Bookshop.
A feature of this year’s event was the return of previous winner, 20-year-old Amber Pierce as a judge. Since winning the 2012 competition as a 17-year-old, Bodyke’s Amber has gone on to pursue a professional career and is currently working in Dromoland Castle’s prestigious five-star kitchen.
She commented, “I felt honoured to be asked back to judge this year’s competition and it helped me reflect on how far I had come in my own career path since I was a participant. I hope this year’s entrants can see that if they put their mind to it, they too can reach their goals.”
The competition is growing annually and Emma Sams of Clare Youth Service says it is “an important showcase that inspires young people to chase their dreams as demonstrated by the success of Amber”.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.