TALENTED chefs from Warrington & Vale Royal College are continuing their mission of success after taking home the gold medal at the regional heat of the UK Young Seafood Chef of the Year competition, despite one student being hospitalised mid-competition.

Mikolaj Mozul and Daniel Jones will now go forward to the national grand finale, which takes place on Friday, June 15 in Grimsby.

Competing against colleges and universities from across the region, the talented duo didn’t make things easy for themselves, with Dan having to go to hospital part way through the competition after cutting his finger.

But their hard work and dedication in the lead up to the event paid off, with their 50 hours of preparation allowing Mikolaj to go on alone, serving up food of an incredibly high standard that bowled the judges away.

Andy Macleod, curriculum leader for hospitality and catering at Warrington & Vale Royal College, said: “I am so incredibly proud of Mikolaj and Dan. They have done such an amazing job and to come first and take home the gold medal when they had to compete against teams from professional catering colleges – it’s just incredible.

“They worked so hard in preparation for the event, coming into college as early as 5am to give themselves extra time before class. Both Mikolaj and Dan are an absolute credit to the catering department and to the college.”

The winning team of UK Young Seafood Chef of the Year will take home more than £4,000 worth of prizes, including £500 for each team member, a £1,000 Russums Voucher for the college and a Robot Cook Professional Heating Food Processor, worth almost £2,000.

Andy added: “Mikolaj and Dan are both absolutely over the moon to win the gold medals. They thought it was all over when Dan had to go to hospital but it’s such a testament to their talent and passion for the industry that they still went on to win.

“As a college, we have had such incredible support not only from other members of staff, but also from companies including M&J seafood, who provided us with amazing fresh produce.

“The next step for Mikolaj and Dan now is to get ready for the final in June. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them and even to come this far is a wonderful achievement. Having taken part in such a prestigious competition will put them one step ahead of the competition when it comes to seeking work within the industry.”