Shannon Region Junior Chef of the Year 2022 is Grainne Scullane

Grainne Scullane, a TY student from St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe was the overall competition winner and received the 1^st Place Gold Medal. Picture Brian Arthur.

Inspires secondary students to consider a career in the hospitality and toursim industry

The Shannon Region Junior Chef of the Year 2022 took place on Tuesday, May 17 at the Limerick Strand Hotel. This was the second year of the competition and it was back bigger and better than ever as an in-person event for the first time. The competition was the culmination of a Transition Year taster course, run by a team of professional executive chefs from Limerick and Clare ETB’s College of Further Education and Training, Hospitality Campus.

Since last September, schools across the region participated in two different hospitality taster courses specifically developed for transition years: the Junior Chef ‘Apprenticeship Taster’ and a ‘Barista Skills Taster’. These courses were undertaken by nearly 450 TY students in the region, including Grainne Scullane, who have an interest in the hospitality sector as a career or in just learning a skill for life.

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One student finalist was selected from four schools across the region to represent their school in a 2-hour live culinary grand final in the Limerick Strand Hotel kitchen. Grainne Scullane, a TY student from St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe was the overall competition winner and received the 1^st Place Gold Medal.

Speaking at the competition, Chief Executive of Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, George O’Callaghan, said: “As we emerge from pandemic times we need to inspire our next generation of students and this competition aims to do just that. The new apprenticeship ‘taster’ scheme for transition years with an interest in the hospitality industry as a career has proven highly popular with students across the region over the past two years. I would like to congratulate our Further Education and Training Division and our Schools Division on this fantastic collaboration. I would also like to thank our team of professional executive chefs from the ETB’s Hospitality Campus who have helped make today’s competition for our transition year students a reality.”

The success of the initiative has been significantly welcomed and supported by hospitality sector employers and human resource managers across the Shannon Region. Stephen O’Connor, Chair of the Shannon Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation and General Manager of the Limerick Strand said: “This is a really positive day for the hospitality industry, the TY students here today have been amazing and have produced local, modern and sophisticated food, that I’d be happy to see on the menu here at the Limerick Strand hotel. I want to congratulate the students on how professional they’ve been throughout the competition and the mentors and staff from the College of FET, Hospitality Campus for all their knowledge and support. We want to build on this kind of initiative and show how rewarding an industry we are where young people can see the fruits of their labour right in front of them and also enjoy a fun and fast paced career in hospitality.”

The judging panel consisted of head judge chef Wade Murphy, Euro-Toques Ireland and 1826 Adare, Oliver Sullivan, Manager Tourism Careers at Fáilte Ireland, Cllr Olivia O’Sullivan from Limerick Food Group and Pigtown Food & Culture Festival and Stephen O’Connor, General Manager of the Limerick Strand Hotel and Chair of the Shannon Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF). The event was live-streamed on YouTube which allowed access to schools throughout the region, career guidance teachers and family and friends.

Students got to choose local fresh produce and cook them in the professional kitchen at the Limerick Strand Hotel. One of the competition mentors was Tom Flavin, Executive Chef and Food Consultant who is passionate about local produce. Speaking at the event he said: “It’s great to be able to showcase the food that we have here in the region and shine a spotlight on the excellent local farmers and food producers and we really appreciate their support for today’s competition too. It’s also so important to instill in young people that we should eat local and support local. In fact, some of the students here today picked their own wild garlic and gorse flowers which was fantastic to see.”

The College of FET Hospitality Campus, operated by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board’s Further Education and Training Division, is dedicated to providing the highest level of culinary and hospitality training. It has built strong relationships within the Irish hospitality industry since its inception and links its learners directly with employment opportunities. It provides skills training in multiple areas of the hospitality sector. Bernadette Enright, Centre Manager, said: “Our campus is proud to deliver specialised skills training focused on finding employment in the hospitality industry and this competition showcases the strong relationship we have fostered within the Irish hospitality industry since its inception. We’re also very grateful to everyone from this year’s participating schools and at our College of FET, Hospitality Campus for all the extra hours and dedication they put into getting the students ready for this year’s competition.”

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