A young cookery school chef who originates from the Isle of Man and now works at the Weber® Grill Academy™ near Oxford has beaten dozens of other cookery school professionals from across the country to win the accolade of Best Young Rising Star at the British Cookery School Awards held last Monday night (11 November) at the Vintners’ Company in London.
 
Jamie Foy (aged 29), was nominated for the award by his colleagues at The Weber® Grill Academy™ which offers dedicated barbecue cooking courses from its base in rural Oxfordshire.
 
Jamie is Assistant Manager at the Weber® Grill Academy™ which is the UK’s only dedicated and year-round BBQ cookery school.  He trained to be a chef at the Isle of Man College and his very first job was at Riley’s Garden & Lifestyle Centre. Jamie is a real barbecue buff and over the years has been lucky to combine his professional chef training with his product knowledge and love of Weber® barbecues. 
 
Nigel Barden, head judge of the British Cookery School Awards which is headline sponsored by Kenwood, said: “We were looking for an individual, under 30 years old, that is set to be a cookery school star of the future.  The winner had to be someone who lives and breathes their cookery school, and plays a vital role in the business’s operations.”
 
Jamie added: “I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a chef but in my second year at college I realised how much I admired my teachers and was inspired by them.  I’ve always had a special bond with Weber® ever since my first job at the garden centre and I am very lucky to have a job that I love so much.  To be chosen as a finalist against the other brilliant professionals was a fantastic feeling, but winning has totally blown my mind!  I am truly honoured.”
 
With more than 400 cookery schools now operating in the UK, The British Cookery School Awards – sponsored by Kenwood, Analon and Premier Foods – honour all those excellent cookery schools that go above and beyond to deliver a first class cookery school experience.  The awards aim to celebrate the important role that cookery schools play in driving Britain’s passion for cooking good, homemade food.  As well as the prestige of winning an award, each category winner will receive ?1,000 worth of Kenwood products.
 
The Cookery School Awards 2013 took place at the Vintners’ Company in London, hosted by BBC Radio 2’s food and drink presenter Nigel Barden.  The judging panel consisted of Nigel, Telegraph food writer Xanthe Clay and Guy Lincoln, Senior Lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University’s Centre of Hospitality and Retailing Management – the British public were asked to nominate their favourite cookery school. 
 
Photo - Jamie Foy, winner of the Best Young Rising Star award with Nigel Barden, BBC food and drink broadcaster, at the British Cookery School Awards in London.