Sweet taste of success for Reece

Reece Hunt (centre) with Bryan and Eve Townson of the Eagle and Child pub, Ramsbottom

CHADDERTON has added a second masterful chef to the weekend’s Masterchef winner Simon Wood.

This year’s Young Pastry Masterchef of Great Britain is Reece Hunt (20), who was crowned “prince of puddings” at the competition final in Sheffield.

The former Radclyffe School student, a commis chef at the award-winning Eagle and Child in Ramsbottom, baked a chocolate and pistachio soufflé and his speciality, an English summer garden dessert, to take the prize.

Winning the title also gives Reece the David Lyell Scholarship, which will allow him to watch some of the world’s best chocolatiers at work in Paris.

“The competition was tough as we had only two hours to complete our dishes,” said Reece. “But it was fantastic to win,” said Reece of from Firbank Road, who learned his craft at college in Rochdale.

“I’ve wanted to work with food since I was in the first year at school, but only in the last few years did I decide I wanted to do pastry.”

Reece will next compete in the final five of the Junior UK Chocolate Masters competition in Oxfordshire in June.

“That will be really tough: we will have seven hours to create a chocolate centrepiece,” he said.

Eagle and Child owner Glen Duckett said he was very proud of Reece’s accolade: “We’re all delighted. It’s a national competition and demonstrates the high level he has achieved.”