The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has announced the winner of the 2008 Student Chef Competition as nineteen year old Jill Urquhart of Fordyce. Competition judges commended Jill’s winning menu for her choice of local produce, as well as her selection of Speyside whiskies.

Jill has worked part-time at the Seafield Arms Hotel in Cullen as a junior chef for the past three years, and also attends Moray College part-time. To honour their award winning chef, Jill’s dishes have been added to the menu of the restaurant at the Seafield Arms Hotel. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival plans a series of food events through the summer and autumn which will highlight Jill’s menu and those of other finalists.

Runner up this year is Lorna McNee of Forres. Lorna was winner of the first Spirit of Speyside Student Chef Competition held in 2007. Following this success, Lorna went to win a college placement at the prestigious Boath House at Auldearn and recently returned from a two week placement with Gordon Ramsay at his Claridges Restaurant in London.

Ros Lewis, Festival Co-ordinator and one of the judging panel, said: “The standard of entries and professionalism demonstrated by entrants in this year’s competition was superb. Jill’s choice of produce from Speyside was imaginative, and the whiskies chosen were an excellent complement to the various flavours of each dish.”

Young chefs are required to use a number of items from a designated Speyside “Basket” in their entries for the Student Chef Competition, marrying the flavours of the ingredients with the subtle tastes of Speyside Malt Whisky. Each chef selects the most appropriate whisky for their dish, giving reasons for their choice. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival would like to thank Moray College for their support in providing excellent facilities for holding the finals.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Student Chef Competition, as well as the Professional Chef Competition, was held for the fist time in 2007, with support from EventScotland.

Jill Urquhart was presented with the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Student Chef Competition trophy by writer and whisky expert Martine Nouet on Monday 5 May at a special Awards Lunch held at the Robbie Dhu Centre, Glenfiddich Distillery. Jill also received a cheque for £200 and a bottle of the Spirit of Speyside Blended Malt as part of her prize.