Coastal Living Bru - "Fleur Du Cap So you think you can cook, Ballito Style" competition 2014

I could not resist the temptation to apply to be an amateur chef in this year's competition, which is fast becoming a sought after event on the North Coast.
It has been a year and I have learnt so much, I am so much more confident and my skills have improved, but unfortunately we did not make it through to the final. We lost by a fraction of a point!
See our dish below from our competition night.
I have included a photo of my practice dish I made at home as well.

Our dish for competition night - Rolled beef rump, stuffed with spinach, tomatoes and Parmesan on top of a herb crepe filled with roasted beetroot and red onion with Balsamic vinegar and honey, butternut puree and a creamy exotic mushroom sauce.

The experience was fantastic though! I had an awesome week cooking  with the chef I was assigned to, Tarnah Blane of Private Chef Ballito - she is excellent!

The judges hard at work

Please check out her website here: www.privatechefballito.co.za.
If you are planning a function or an intimate dinner for two, check out her site and give her a call.

Once again, the judges were phenomenal, amongst whom was Jacqui Rey of Food Matters www.foodmatters.co.za.
Masterchef SA finalist, Joani Mitchell was also a judge, see her blog at: joanismeza.wordpress.com.
And I believe Jackie Cameron is one of the judges tonight at the final, http://www.jackiecameron.co.za/.
I am definitely going to get down there to watch!
What an awesome line-up and hats off to Lewaine from Fine Young Cooks www.fineyoungcooks.co.za for organising an awesome event of this calibre.
Next year I will enter again, and hopefully be third time lucky!

Being interviewed by Mags of I love Ballito radio - iloveballitoradio.com

Our mystery box ingredients less the butternut which I made into a puree

Tarnah Blane busy at work preparing the rump 

My home practice dish: Chicken breast stuffed with baby spinach, Pecorino and Parmesan, sweet potato puree, beetroot and sweet potato crisps, roasted beetroot and a red pepper oil. garnished with rosemary and red pepper relish.