Isobel was declared overall winner out of an original entry of 150 staff cooks from branches of Marks and Spencer.

In the kitchens of a famous firm who have sponsored people like TV chef Marco Pierre White in the past, Isobel was one of ten finalists from within staff kitchens of the High Street retailers to prepare and cook a two-course meal.

The event was held at the Innovation Centre in Crawley. There were originally 150 entries from staff throughout Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales, says Isobel, whose entry was already judged a winner in previous heats both at the Inverness store where she works and in London.

Isobel, who is one of two staff cooks at Inverness, presented a main course which had to be healthy and cost-effective, and a pudding.

Sweet and spicy chicken thighs in a marinade of honey, soya sauce and chilli flakes were cooked and served with roasted peppers, red onion and courgette and smoked paprika flavoured potato wedges – no salt in the dish apart from that in the soya. A following sweet with fewer dietary strictures consisted of heart-shaped shortcake with lemon and lime cream and chocolate dipped strawberry.

Prior to leaving for London, Isobel was handing round a wee taste of her own recipe melt-in-the-mouth shortcake to staff and friends in Sandra’s Dingwall High Street unisex hair salon. The seal of approval was universal.

Isobel Lewis

Among those cheering Isobel on in the final from afar were husband Davie a self-employed decorator and their family Melissa with her two children in Aberdeen and Donald at Culloden, all her friends in Dingwall – and the entire staff of Marks at Inverness.

At stake as well as the prestigious winner’s title was a luxury night out with celebration meal and overnight accommodation for twenty “nearest and dearest” in a hotel near to the winner’s store.

And Isobel laughs, “I most definitely will not be cooking that night!

“My line manager Donald MacInnes was right – I won and I couldn’t believe it – and I still can’t!”

katemacpherson@btinternet.com

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend