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Amy Set for Chef Stardom

PORTPATRICK chef Amy Ballin looks set for industry stardom.

Aged 23, Amy, who is Chef de Partie at the Fernhill Hotel in the village, has fought off tough competition from 15 other young chefs to win a place in the finals of Young Chef-Young Waiter 2004.

She has already won a fantastic prize for reaching this stage - a trip to Reims with the other national finalists to visit Champagne Louis Roederer.

Amy competed in the Northern regional final which took place at St Helens College, Merseyside, where she performed a range of written and practical tasks to demonstrate her skills as a chef.

These included making mayonnaise, mashed potato and a mouclade of mussels, as well as producing a main course for two from a basket of mystery ingredients, only divulged immediately before the cook off.

The competition, now in its 20th year, is organised by The Restaurant Association in partnership with American Express and the Savoy Educational Trust and it aims to encourage young people by giving them a platform to demonstrate their cooking and waiting skills.