Tipperary ETB hosts first annual TY Young Cooks Competition in Thurles

Fourteen students from seven Tipperary ETB post-primary schools competed in the first annual TY Young Cooks Competition at Tipperary FET College in Archerstown, Thurles.

Last Thursday’s (30 January) event took place at the professional kitchen facilities at the FET centre in Thurles, which is home to Commis Chef apprentices as well as students from the Home Economics teacher training course at nearby Mary Immaculate College, Thurles.

Schools were invited in recent months to prepare a team of two Transition Year students to take part in this inaugural event, sponsored by Super Valu Food Academy and Tipperary Food Producers. Each team designed a two-course (main and dessert) meal before cooking it over the course of two hours in Thurles, under the stewardship of Commis Chef instructor, Fergal Phelan.

The dishes were judged by a four-person panel – Stephen Hayes, (Cashel Palace Hotel), Carmel Biggane (Super Valu Food Academy), Helen King (Tipperary Food Producers), and Patrick O’Sullivan (Tipperary FET College).

Every team was praised for cooking a variety of delicious dishes, and for incorporating the surprise ingredient of tender stem broccoli which was only announced to them before the competition got underway.

Tipperary ETB would like to thank all the schools for getting involved, particularly the Home Economics teachers who prepared the students for the day. Each team was presented with a hamper prepared by Tipperary Food Producers and a goodie bag from Tipperary ETB.

The competitors were as follows:

1^st place – Borrisokane Community College – Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill.
2^nd place – Scoil Ruáin (Killenaule) – Maximilian Hochgesang and Jondis Cala.
3^rd place – Nenagh College – Angela Boldescu and Kayleigh McAuliffe.
Special mention award for incorporation of ethnicity into their dishes – St Ailbe’s School (Tipp Town) – Rae-Dene Buhlebenkosi Ndlovu and Kayla Ncube.
Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed (Thurles) – Lewie Cavanagh and James Woodlock.
Coláiste Phobal Ros Cré – Ciara Crofton and Aoibhe McAndrew.
Comeragh College (Carrick-on-Suir) – Eoin O’Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

Learn more about the Commis Chef apprenticeship available at Tipperary FET College here.

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All of the schools competing in the TY Young Cooks Competition 2025.

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The awards presented to the winning teams.

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The hampers prepared by Tipperary Food Producers which were given to each of the competing teams.

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The hamper of goodies prepared by Tipperary Food Producers.

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A live stream of the competition was available to view for teachers and staff in the upstairs mezzanine at Tipperary FET College in Archerstown, Thurles.

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The professional kitchen at Tipperary FET College in Archerstown, Thurles.

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The dining area where completed dishes were taste tested by the judges.

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The dining area where completed dishes were taste tested by the judges.

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The Home Economics teachers at the TY Young Cooks Competition in Thurles.

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Borrisokane Community College. Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill. Main: Chicken tikka masala served on a bed of rice. Dessert: Victoria sponge cake served with freshly cut strawberries and fresh cream.

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Borrisokane Community College. Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill.

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Borrisokane Community College. Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill.

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Borrisokane Community College. Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill.

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Borrisokane Community College. Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill.

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Borrisokane Community College. Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill.

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Borrisokane Community College. Grace Clarke and Lily O’Neill. With their Home Economics teacher, Ceire Hogan.

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Scoil Ruáin (Killenaule) – Maximilian Hochgesang and Jondis Cala. Main: Delicate venison steak served with homemade smashed potatoes and fresh green asparagus accompanied by a creme fraiche dip. Dessert: Creme brulee - a cold vanilla creeme with a crunchy crust of molten sugar served with a raspberry coulis.

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Scoil Ruáin (Killenaule) – Maximilian Hochgesang and Jondis Cala.

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Scoil Ruáin (Killenaule) – Maximilian Hochgesang and Jondis Cala.

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Scoil Ruáin (Killenaule) – Maximilian Hochgesang and Jondis Cala.

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Scoil Ruáin (Killenaule) – Maximilian Hochgesang and Jondis Cala.

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Scoil Ruáin (Killenaule) – Maximilian Hochgesang and Jondis Cala.

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St Ailbe's School, Tipperary Town. Rae-Dene Buhlebenkosi Ndlovu and Kayla Ncube. Main: Irish beef stew served with pap and beet salad. Dessert: Krummel pap with yoghurt, raspberries and mixed seeds.

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St Ailbe's School, Tipperary Town. Rae-Dene Buhlebenkosi Ndlovu and Kayla Ncube.

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St Ailbe's School, Tipperary Town. Rae-Dene Buhlebenkosi Ndlovu and Kayla Ncube.

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St Ailbe's School, Tipperary Town. Rae-Dene Buhlebenkosi Ndlovu and Kayla Ncube.

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St Ailbe's School, Tipperary Town. Rae-Dene Buhlebenkosi Ndlovu and Kayla Ncube. With their teacher Rebekah O'Dwyer, in the absence of Home Economics teacher, Santy Barry.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey. Main: Chorizo hash. A delicious, rustic potato dish with pieces of chorizo, onion and spinach. Topped with a runny poached egg and carefully garnished with fresh parsley. Dessert: Vanilla drip cake. A moist vanilla sponge with a filling of smooth buttercream, decorated with a dripping effect of chocolate and delicate piping.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey.

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Comeragh College. Eoin O'Reilly and Ciara Morrissey. With their Home Economics teachers, Aoife Walpole and Jackie Doyle.

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The surprise ingredient which each team had to incorporate into their dishes.... broccoli.

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Two of the desserts prepared by the teams in Thurles. A sticky toffee pudding and a krummel pap.

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Curry dishes ready for the judging panel.

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The teams hard at work in the professional kitchen facilities in Archerstown, Thurles.

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The judging panel overseeing the hard work.

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The teams hard at work in the professional kitchen facilities in Archerstown, Thurles.

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The teams hard at work in the professional kitchen facilities in Archerstown, Thurles.

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The teams hard at work in the professional kitchen facilities in Archerstown, Thurles.

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The teams hard at work in the professional kitchen facilities in Archerstown, Thurles.

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The judging panel sampling the Irish beef stew, prepared by St Ailbe's School.

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The judging panel (L to R): Stephen Hayes, (Cashel Palace Hotel), Helen King (Tipperary Food Producers), Carmel Biggane (Super Valu Food Academy), and Patrick O’Sullivan (Tipperary FET College).

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Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed. Lewie Cavanagh and James Woodlock. Main: Tender chicken simmered in a rich, creamy tomato-based curry, served with fluffy boiled rice and warm, freshly made naan bread. Dessert: Irresistible warm sticky toffee pudding. Decadently moist sponge drenched in rich, velvety toffee sauce.

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Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed. Lewie Cavanagh and James Woodlock.

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Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed. Lewie Cavanagh and James Woodlock.

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Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed. Lewie Cavanagh and James Woodlock.

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Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed. Lewie Cavanagh and James Woodlock.

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Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed. Lewie Cavanagh and James Woodlock. With their Home Economics teacher, Claire Glynn.

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Nenagh College. Angela Boldescu and Kayleigh McAuliffe. Main: Homemade lasagna accompanied by chunky chips and zesty slaw. Dessert: Freshly baked swiss roll with ripe strawberries and luscious cream.