Dungannon school pupil Oisin Gates has joined celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli to call upon young budding chefs across Northern Ireland to take part and compete in the annual FutureChef competition.
Oisin emerged as the winner of the competition in 2020, beating off challengers from across Northern Ireland in a number of heats to claim the prize.
FutureChef Northern Ireland sees young chefs between the ages of 12 and 16 compete in four stages, where they are mentored by top chefs from across the UK.
Helping to launch the competition for 2021, St Patrick’s College Dungannon pupil Oisin said it was a great experience for him and he is hoping to use it to further a career in the food industry.
“Competing in FutureChef provides you with a 360 degree view of the hospitality industry and the many different career paths you can take,” Oisin said.
“Luckily for me, I was also able to gain insights from some of the most well-respected chefs in Northern Ireland, including Paula McIntyre and James Devine.
“Now, after such a valuable experience, I would really like to go to university to help fulfil my ambitions of becoming a dietician or nutritionist.
“My passion is helping others to make good, healthy choices by creating nutritional meals that people would enjoy eating.
“FutureChef has helped me realise these ambitions, which I didn’t know I had previous to entering the competition.”
Celebrity chef Novelli, owner of the Novelli at City Quays restaurant in Belfast, said it would be a privilege to work with the next generation of young chefs in Northern Ireland.
“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to work with, and mentor, young chefs who will ultimately go on to do great things in the industry,” Novelli said.
“I can’t explain just how important programmes like Springboard’s FutureChef are in terms of putting culinary arts and hospitality on the map for young people kickstarting their careers.”
