Seafood dish is recipe for success for teenage chef

Celebrating the wealth of ingredients produ in the regi

- LEWIS CLARKE [e-mail]

> Jessica Klapsia with her award pictured with Michael Caines and Seth Ward from Bidfood

(Steve Haywood Photography)

A TALENTED teenage chef has proven her culinary prowess for a second year running after taking top honours at a prestigious south west cookery competition.

Jessica Klapsia, 16, a student at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School, has been crowned South West Junior Chef of the Year 2025, impressing judges with her refined seafood creation featuring confit cod fillet served with dashi, beurre blanc and oyster.

The regional contest, open to students aged 11 to 16, sees young cooks from across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire go head-to-head, each showcasing dishes that celebrate the south west’s diverse ingredients.