Derek Johnstone
(Mentor: Michel Roux Jr)
Having won Masterchef: the Professionals in 2008, Johnstone is no stranger to the pressures of a kitchen. He now heads up the team at The Golf Inn – Gullane. Roux says "the purity of his food, coupled with classic skills, make for delicious, tasty food. His flair lies in his imaginative pairings."
Dish: Glenkinchie whisky-cured salmon with haggis fritter, sea buckthorn purée and fennel salad
Chris Thompson
(Mentor: Dan Doherty)
Born in England and raised in Thailand, Thompson's cooking pays homage to the styles and flavours of both nations. He's worked at both Maze and the Grove Hotel, and his mentor Dan Doherty is bullish about his chances, saying "he has a passion and drive to push on like I’ve never seen before. If anyone deserves this chance, it’s Chris."
Dish: Beef, turnip, miso and jalapeños
Ben Donkin
(Mentor: Simon Rogan)
Mentored by Rogan at the chef's acclaimed restaurant L'Enclume, Cumbrian-born Donkin is a skilled, talented chef de partie. "I haven’t met many 15 year olds with the same amount of drive and eagerness to learn that Ben possessed when he first started in our kitchen," Rogan says. High praise indeed.
Dish: Macerated strawberries, yoghurt mousse with apricot pureé, honeycomb and oats, cicely snow
For more information about Protégé by Ford, go to tastefestivals.com; to buy tickets, click here
