Three budding chefs rolled up their sleeves and rustled up the best mince pies in Surrey as part of a festive food competition at The Ashley Centre.
David Gillott, chef patron of Four Gables Food Academy in Ashtead, who won the best young entrepreneur title at the Epsom Business Excellence Awards last month, gave aspiring cooks a masterclass in how to bake delicious mince pies, in the shopping centre, on December 1.
He then encouraged them to come back again to enter the Surrey’s Best Mince Pie competition a week later - which was won by Rhiannon Abbott. Laura Scott finished second, while Roy Twyman came third.
Mr Gillott said: "We had 11 entrants and they were all brilliant, we had mince pies of all shapes and sizes, all individually decorated, and a range from gluten free to vegetarian.
"I could not have been more impressed. Rhiannon had made some amazing little canapé sized mince pies and the pastry was perfectly cooked and crisp."
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