After cooking in front of a large and enthusiastic audience in the Manx Food Theatre at the Royal Manx Agricultural Show, chefs Richard Ashcroft from the Patchwork Cafe in Port St Mary and Robert Hooper from L’experience in Douglas have been chosen as finalists in this year’s “ I Love Manx Chef of the Year” competition.

The finals of the competition will be held at 3pm on 22nd September at the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival at the Nunnery, Douglas. Richard will cook Manx Callig Rarebit with Soda Bread and Robert will cook Two Tastes of Manx Mackeral.  The judges will be celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott, Gary Cregeen from Manx Gas and chef Tony Quirk.

The competition and the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival are both sponsored by Manx Gas and Gary Cregeen, sales and marketing manager at Manx Gas said:  “Manx Gas is delighted to be associated with this competition and with the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival.  Both celebrate the quality and variety of local Manx produce which can be enjoyed at home and in many restaurants around the Isle of Man.  The recipes being cooked by the finalists make excellent use of fish caught around our shores and are as innovative as they are healthy and great tasting. It promises to be an exciting final and I look forward to seeing the chefs in action”.