Poacher’s Pocket chef vies for Roux Scholarship
A cook who plies his trade at the Poacher’s Pocket in Lisbane is set to put all his skills to the test as he competes to be name Britain’s best young chef,
Dillon Smyth, who hails from Comber, Co Down, has made it through to the semi-finals of the Roux Scholarship 2023, which was founded by Michel Roux OBE and his brother Albert.
On March 9, he will go up against other regional finalists in Birmingham to try and impress judges, including Alain Roux and James Martin, in the hope of making the final.
The 24-year-old said: “It popped up on my Instagram about a year ago and I had seen it but I wasn’t too sure so we talked about it and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to enter but I entered it last minute.
“I had sent off a recipe with costing and pricing for portions of £22 per person and the likes of Michel Roux, Claire Smyth and the top chefs who are the judges in the competition, judge that recipe blind, so they don’t know who it is, it is all done by a number. Then I got an email to say I had got into the regional finals.”
For the regional final, competitors will have two and a half hours to cook their dish, along with a dessert from a mystery box of ingredients given to them on the day. The judges will be looking for recipes and methods, which demonstrate the best balance of creativity, taste, style and practicality in the finished dish.
Dillon said he always knew he wanted to be a chef and after leaving school with his GCSEs, went straight to Belfast Met to complete a level 2 and 3 patisserie and confectionery course. He then went on to do a level 2 bakers course and level 2 professional cookery course which is when he got into the kitchen at the Poacher’s Pocket and into the Balloo Inns group.
“As it was my first job I was a bit anxious but as the years have gone on, I am here five years now, I love every bit of it,” said Dillon.
“I love the team, the people you work with have your back and you have theirs as well. For me it is all about team work and everyone grafting together, we are one big team working together as a unit.”
