BY SEÁN P. FEENY

LAST week, Donegal News food columnist and talented French chef, Emmanuel Cohergne took part in his very first ChefSkills competition and won a prestigious bronze medal.

Chefs from around the country flocked to Belfast to take part in the competition part of the IFEX International Food and Drink Competition which took place at King's Hall.

Chef Emmanuel took part in the category that had the big challenge of preparing two duck dishes, using the breast and a leg.

"We had 45 minutes to work with the breast and leg," said Emmanuel, "A duck leg is very hard to work with, so that's what the real competition was set by the adjudicators to see what we could come up with."

Emmanuel's final result was an orange and tamarind glazed duck breast, duck leg ballantine stuffed with plums and foie gras, braised cabbage, fondant potato in a sweet orange reduction.

"The competition was very tough and the standard very high, and I didn't have anything prepared apart from the stock, everything else had to be done on the spot," said Emmanuel.

Finishing the competition at 10.15am, Emmanuel anxiously waited until 4.30pm when the final results were announced.

He said: "When I found out that I had won a bronze medal I was so delighted and the representative of Silver Hill Foods, and Irish company that specialises in duck, came up to me after to congratulated me and took photos of my dishes, which was a great honour."

Emmanuel said that this competition will certainly have been the first of many: "Taking part in the even was It's brilliant and while you're cooking the adrenaline is really high, so I can't wait for the next one," he laughed.

The young chef said he would like to thank catering equipment company, Keltic Hygiene Catering, in Letterkenny who provided him with plates as a good luck gift for the competition.

Moving on to new ventures Emmanuel has recently joined Ballybofey based company, Etic Solutions Ltd, as a recruitment consultant.

"Etic is Ireland's only recruitment agency dealing exclusively with Chefs, and recognised and licensed by the government," he said.

"After ten years working in the restaurant business, I was looking for a new challenge in my career and taking on this new position will allow me to do things that I have been wanting to do for a long time and I will get out and meet people a lot more," said Emmanuel.

"Who better to recruit chefs for restaurants and hotels than someone who knows the business inside out and can easily determine the needs of a restaurant," he said.

"I have worked as an employee and I have been a head chef so I know both sides of the business and now will work with Etic recruiting French chefs to come to Ireland and help people locally to find a career in this business."

Emmanuel said he is really looking forward to what is going to be a complete new experience and challenge for him. For more information log onto www.eticsolutions.com or contact the recruitment team in Ballybofey on Tel 07491 75255.

For more see the Donegal News online pdf editions