Blackpool and The Fylde College student cooks up national success

A rising young talent from Beach House Blackpool and student of Blackpool and The Fylde College has scooped a top spot in a national cooking competition and a once-in-a-lifetime training trip to Milan thanks to his tasty new Italian dish.

Talented Junior Sous Chef, Stanley Brown, from the Beach House Blackpool is just 20 years old and is already living ‘la dolce vita’ after cooking up a storm to win the regional heat of the UK Italian Salumi Contest at Blackpool and The Fylde College in April with his bold and inventive Blackcurrant and Bresaola Risotto with a parmesan and bresaola crisp and whipped ricotta.

Stanley went on to represent North West England in the grand final held in London this May with his delicious new dish, with the creative young chef impressing the expert judging panel with his perfectly balanced plate of rich Italian flavours to earn an impressive top four place. The prize also includes a trip to Milan later this year to spend three days working inside a 2-star Michelin restaurant, gaining first-hand experience of traditional Italian charcuterie and learning authentic techniques directly from regional experts.

Stanley is currently studying a Level 3 Professional Cookery course on a day release programme while he gains vital hands-on kitchen experience at Beach House Blackpool. He was encouraged by both his tutors and employers to enter the top culinary competition in which promising young chefs from across the country are challenged to create an original dish using Italian cured meats. Stanley chose bresaola – a regional speciality from Lombardy made using cured beef fillet, traditionally salt-cured and air-dried for several months to create its delicate aromatic flavour and deep red colour.

He said of his choice of dish:  “The sweetness of the blackcurrants against the saltiness of the bresaola and the creaminess of the ricotta really intrigued me and I wanted to find the perfect balance of flavours and textures. 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.”

The final of the UK Italian Salumi Contest took place at the flagship Smeg store in London and was organised by senior representatives from the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Embassy. Judging was led by renowned food critic and MasterChef: The Professionals judge Leyla Kazim alongside celebrated Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo and other leading culinary authorities.

Stanley said of his trip to the capital: “I had just 55 minutes to complete the dish so timing and preparation were everything. I actually brought all my own equipment down from Blackpool because I wanted to feel completely comfortable in the kitchen environment. That definitely helped on the day.  I also went to Borough Market beforehand to pick up some fresh Italian ingredients and checked out the kitchen space before the competition started, which helped settle the nerves a bit.”

Although the overall national title went to Edinburgh College student Alfie Reid, Stanley’s outstanding performance secured him a place among the UK’s top four young chefs and earned him the exclusive culinary trip to Italy later this year. “The Milan trip is going to be incredible. 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 moved to the Fylde coast a year ago to pursue his culinary training and be closer to family. “I’d visited Blackpool for years anyway and honestly it all happened really quickly,” he said. “Within my first week up here I interviewed at Beach House and they offered me the job straight away. They’ve been incredibly supportive from day one.”

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. 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. And there’s good news for Beach House diners too! Stanley’s award-winning risotto dish fits perfectly fits with our vibe of big Mediterranean flavours, fresh seasonal ingredients and culinary creativity and is set to appear on the restaurant’s upcoming Autumn menu!”

Beach House Executive Chef, Adam Green, added: “Stanley has worked unbelievably hard for this opportunity and fully deserves the recognition he’s receiving. The dish he created was clever, confident and technically excellent. He’s constantly pushing himself to improve and this competition has shown exactly what he’s capable of.”

Check out Stanley’s snapshot of his journey for the competition, in this short video here.