Clonakilty sisters doin it for themselves in Cook Off finals

Winners in the BIM cooking competition, Jenny and Amy Buttimer, pupils of Bandon Grammar School, with Shelia Jennings, Gloria Corcoran (BIM) Kieran O’Mahony, (Southern Star), and their teacher Mary McCarthy O’Brien.

By Kieran O’Mahony

IT was a case of donning the apron for Amy Buttimer from Clonakilty who stepped in at the last minute to help her sister Jenny win top prize at this year’s All-Ireland Wild Atlantic Way Secondary School Cook Off.

The Cook Off was held at this year’s Clonakilty Agricultural Show and was sponsored by both Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and The Southern Star.

Amy, who is currently in the middle of her Junior Cert Exams, came to the rescue of her older sister Jenny after Sharon Coombes was unable to attend due to a family commitment.

Jenny herself is no stranger to cooking as she recently made the finals of ‘Apprentice Chef’, held at Tralee Institute of Technology.

Jenny and Sharon came up with the two original recipes, which was a ‘Plaice ceviche on a bed of salad leaves’ for the starter and a ‘Crab crusted hake with beetroot risotto’ for the main course.

‘The judges were very impressed with their dishes and were surprised to see that the girls came up with a ceviche, as they hadn’t come across it before,’ said their teacher Mary McCarthy O’Brien.

‘Jenny and Amy were brilliant and I was delighted they had won, especially seeing as Amy stepped in at the last minute,’ she added.

Jenny and Amy collected the top of €250 along with a trophy for impressing judges with their starter and main course.

The idea of this competition was for students to cook two meals, and the main ingredients had to be sustainable fish that is sourced from the Atlantic. The cost of their meal was not to exceed €20.

As well as claiming top prize, the sisters have also won a class invitation to the Bord Iascaigh Mhara Centre in Clonakilty where a top chef will cook their exact same dish for all the students attending, later this year.