A 20-year-old chef studying and working in Blackpool has caught judges’ attention with an inventive risotto and is now heading to train in Italian kitchens. But not before giving local diners the chance to try it.
When Stanley Brown started experimenting with blackcurrants and cured beef, he wasn’t trying to win a national competition. He was trying to work out whether the combination would actually taste any good. Turns out it did.
Now the 20-year-old chef, who’s working and training on the Fylde Coast, is heading to Milan after impressing judges in a national competition celebrating Italian cuisine.
A Junior Sous Chef at Beach House Blackpool and a student at Blackpool and The Fylde College, Stanley secured a place among the top four finalists in the UK Italian Salumi Contest after creating a blackcurrant and bresaola risotto that caught the attention of some of the country’s leading foodies.
The competition challenged young chefs from across the UK to create an original dish using Italian cured meats. Stanley’s risotto paired the savoury depth of Lombardy’s famous air-dried beef, bresaola, with blackcurrants, whipped ricotta and a parmesan crisp – a combination he says grew out of a fascination with unexpected flavour pairings.
“The sweetness of the blackcurrants against the saltiness of the bresaola and the creaminess of the ricotta really intrigued me,” he said. “Experimenting with flavours is one of my favourite parts of cooking. I love trying combinations people might not expect and then finding a way to make them work together.”
After winning the North West heat at Blackpool and The Fylde College earlier this year, Stanley progressed to the national final in London, where competitors had just 55 minutes to prepare their dishes for a judging panel led by food writer and MasterChef judge Leyla Kazim and Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo, ho famously trained Jamie Oliver.
“I actually brought all my own equipment down from Blackpool because I wanted to feel completely comfortable in the kitchen environment,” said Stanley. “That definitely helped on the day.”
Although the overall title went elsewhere, Stanley’s performance earned him a place among the competition’s top four and a three-day training trip to Milan later this year, where he’ll work in a two-Michelin-starred restaurant and learn from Italian chefs and producers.
“The Milan trip is going to be incredible,” he said. “To learn directly from chefs and producers over there is an opportunity I never imagined having at this stage in my career.”
Originally from High Wycombe, Stanley relocated to the Fylde Coast last year to continue his culinary training and be closer to family. Alongside studying for a Level 3 Professional Cookery qualification at Blackpool and The Fylde College, he’s been developing his skills in the kitchen at Beach House Blackpool.
Beach House owners, Hagop and Cheryl Tchobanian, said Stanley’s achievement reflects both his natural talent and determination.
“We’re so proud of Stanley and everything he’s achieved in such a short space of time,” they said. “He’s got an incredible attitude, a real passion for food and a genuine desire to keep learning and improving. The whole team has been behind him every step of the way.”
There’s good news for Beach House diners too – Stanley’s award-winning risotto is set to appear on the restaurant’s upcoming Autumn menu.
Beach House Blackpool is located at Festival House, Promenade, Blackpool. Visit www.beachhouseblackpool.co.uk to book.
