Market Kitchen Talent Search Competition 2009

In January Culinary Arts Management student Ben Ebbrell answered the call for amateur cooks and people working with food to send in a short video clip to UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen Programme.

The Selection Panel viewed the first minute of each clip submitted then made a shortlist of just 3 finalists, of which Ben was one. We caught up with Ben and he told us what happened next.

"I was invited down to London to film 5 episodes, with seven Challenges that were spread out over a week of shows. Challenges included presenting to camera about our favourite cookbook, preparing a cold canapé in 90 seconds (whilst talking to camera), chatting about a mystery ingredient and Brave Bites which was having to eat strange delicacies from around the world whilst remaining calm and composed . I ate fermented herring (raw, rancid fish) and fermented bean curd.

One of the three contestants was eliminated on Wednesdays show after the 4th challenge (and it wasn't me). The final challenge of the week was a 6-7 minute cook off challenge against the last remaining contestant, which I won!"

Ben’s prize was to appear in an additional episode of Market Kitchen in which he presented his own recipe of griddled pork with leek and bean cassoulet, assisted by Jamie Oliver protégée Aaron Craze. That episode will be shown on UKTV food in April.

Ben is definitely a chef to watch.