Kenilworth chef '˜proud' to finish third in Young Chef the Year final

Andreas Doukanaris with his third place certificate after the BCF Young Chef of the Year final

A Kenilworth chef is '˜proud' of his performance after coming third in the Young Chef of the Year final this week.

Andreas Doukanaris, 23, who has worked at The Cross in Kenilworth for over two years, finished ahead of 12 other chefs in the British Culinary Federation’s competition held at University College Birmingham on Monday November 7.

Andreas said: “Taking part in the final was an amazing experience, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and feel very proud to have done so well given the calibre of the chefs taking part.

“It was a great feeling to have taken a prize and to have the opportunity to prove to myself that I can achieve great things.

Adam Bennett, executive chef at The Cross, was delighted with Andreas’s showing in the final.

He said: “Andreas put in a fantastic performance for his first attempt at the competition and it’s testament to all the hard work he’s put in during his two years working with us.”

The chefs had to cook a three-course meal for two in the space of two hours. The starter had to include fish and the main course had to include duck.

Andreas finished behind winner Frances Attwood of Simpson’s Restaurant in Birmingham and runner-up Connor Blades of The Frog in London.