Lola Shines at the Future Chef Regional Final

Lola delivered an outstanding performance at the recent Future Chef Regional Final, showcasing remarkable skill, composure and professionalism. After hours of dedicated practice, her hard work truly paid off and she represented the Academy with pride and confidence.

Her success would not have been possible without the incredible support of her family, who generously provided ingredients and patiently ate an impressive amount of pork tenderloin along the way!

Lola presented an ambitious and beautifully executed menu. Her main course featured pork loin with a quail scotch egg, cauliflower and butter bean, nduja butter, sage and crispy chicken skin. For dessert, she served a rich chocolate mousse accompanied by torched blood orange, hazelnut and cream. Both dishes demonstrated technical skill, creativity and a clear understanding of flavour balance.

As the youngest competitor in the heat, Lola stood out as a fantastic ambassador for Churchill. She remained calm, focused and thoroughly professional throughout the competition. Although she did not win the heat, her performance marked her as a complete star.

Lola was expertly mentored by Chef Greg Popek, whose guidance played a key role in her development. Chef Popek has since offered to continue mentoring Lola and to support her in future opportunities, a testament to her talent and potential.

Congratulations to Lola,  and thank you to her family and Chef Greg Popek for their continued support. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and excited to see what the future holds.