Recipe Competition Winners

Coeliac UK's first gluten-free recipe competition, part of the Awareness Week Food Without Fear Campaign launched earlier this year, was a great success with over 120 entries ranging from traditional dishes to the more exotic.

We were so impressed with the standard of entry, we have awarded the title of Gluten-free Chef of the Year to joint winners and created an Outstanding Achievement category to commend the efforts of those entrants who are still in training for culinary stardom.

The winners were presented with their accolades at Giorgio Locatelli's restaurant, Locanda Locatelli in a special presentation to reward their hard work and creative gluten-free cooking.  Each of them proved that, with a bit of innovation, gluten-free cooking can be interesting and tasty.

Joint Winners of the Gluten-free Chef of the Year

Vanessa Scott of Strattons Hotel in Norfolk and Christine Bailey, a chef trainer and journalist from Reading.

Vanessa's winning recipe was a Twice-Baked Binham Blue & Potato soufflé; a light and tasty soufflé best served with a green salad and featuring a local cheese, Binham Blue.

Vanessa said: "It has always been good to show diners that they can eat good food without sacrificing flavour or ingredients."

To download Vanessa's recipe, please click here.

Christine's entry was an Apricot and Orange Polenta Cake; a delicious tangy cake full of fruity flavours and natural goodness.

Christine said: “The competition was a wonderful opportunity to show how delicious gluten-free foods can be.”

To download Christine's recipe, please click here.

Outstanding Achievement category

An additional presentation was also made for outstanding achievement to Sophie Haskins, a catering student from Bristol College, for her dish, Oshi Sushi.

Sophie said: "Coeliac UK’s competition caught my eye as it was appealing for chefs to provide, not just normal recipes, but exciting ones to show people with coeliac disease that they are not restricted in anyway at all and food is still fantastic with the elimination or substitution of gluten!”

To download Sophie's recipe, please click here.