Student chef wins multiple awards for Ireland

Matthew Looram from Dysart won two awards at the ninth World Young Chef Olympiad (YCO), held in India at the end of January.

A former student of St Finian’s College, Mullingar, and now at TU Dublin, studying culinary arts student, Matthew was awarded the Plate Trophy for his dish ‘King Prawn ‘Ratatouille’, Riz Aromata, Prawn Bisque’; and also won the Rising Star Award.

His winning dish consisted of king prawns cooked in an alternative ratatouille, braised aromatic rice and rich prawn bisque to finish.

In total, student chefs from 56 countries competed in the competition over five days in five major cities in India, including New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune Goa and Kolkata.

Matthew said: “It’s a great honour to be awarded trophies and medals at this level,” adding that culinary arts has opened a world of opportunities for him that he had never previously imagined.

Dr Denise O’Leary, head of School Culinary Arts and Food Technology, TU Dublin, congratulated Matthew said the team there “are proud of his achievements”.

“I look forward to following his career, especially as it is such an exciting time to become a chef.”

Matthew’s mentor George Smith (lecturer Culinary Arts, TU Dublin) said that “an event like the World Young Chef Olympiad is a major opportunity to get recognition of your talent as a chef”.