Finalists announced in Oliver Kay Produce Vegan Dish recipe competition

Three chefs have been named as finalists in the Oliver Kay National Vegan Dish of the Year 2020 competition and will now cook-off their recipes for a panel of industry judges to decide the winner.

The competition organised by fresh fruit and veg specialist Oliver Kay Produce challenged chefs to create a new dish to appeal to the growing number of vegan customers eating out. It aims to find recipes with a strong appeal to customers looking for enticing vegan dishes, as well as to inspire hospitality businesses to create profitable vegan menus.

The three finalists are:

• John Boddice, head chef, Roccos Italian kitchen, Tickhill, Doncaster
• Sunil Varma, head chef, Bartlett Mitchell in London
• Yuhan Li, Level 3 student, Westminster Kingsway College and part-time at Koya City in London

Jane Aukim, marketing manager for Oliver Kay Produce, commented: "We had some great entries for the competition, and it was a tough process to narrow it down to our three finalists. It will be very interesting to see them put through their paces at the final."

The shortlisted finalists will now prepare, cook and serve their recipe for the judges at the cook-off final, to be held at Oliver Kay Produce's development kitchen in Bolton, on 30 March. The final will also include a short Mystery Box challenge inviting entrants to prepare and serve a starter or dessert from a selection of fresh produce provided by Oliver Kay.

The three finalists will receive a hamper of products from the Plant Based Collection, a new range of premium vegan ingredients available through Oliver Kay Produce