Swansea Student Zoe Edwards Crowned Bacofoil Student Cook of the Year

In a thrilling culinary showdown, Swansea University student Zoe Edwards has earned the prestigious title of Bacofoil Student Cook of the Year. The high-pressure grand finale, held at the famous Cactus Kitchen in Clapham, London—home of the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen—saw Zoe’s creativity and skill shine, securing her the top prize in a fiercely contested cook-off.

The Search for the UK’s Top Student Chef

Launched in September 2014, the inaugural Bacofoil Student Cook of the Year competition set out to challenge the outdated stereotype of student cuisine. Moving far beyond the clichés of instant noodles and beans on toast, Bacofoil aimed to discover and celebrate the UK’s most passionate and talented undergraduate foodies. The call to action was simple yet modern: students were invited to showcase their best culinary creations by posting a photo on Facebook or Twitter. Each entry had to include the dish’s name and the hashtag #BacofoilStudentCook, creating a vibrant online gallery of student cooking talent.

The response was overwhelming, with students from across the country submitting an impressive array of dishes. The entries were meticulously judged on two key criteria: presentation and creativity. While some humorous submissions, like Andrew Sav’s ‘Tesco Value baked beans on toast with burnt halloumi,’ didn’t quite make the final cut, the overall standard demonstrated a clear rise in culinary ambition among students. The competition highlighted that today’s university students are more culinarily curious and skilled than ever before, often using cooking as a creative outlet and a way to connect with friends.

Meet the Finalists: A Trio of Talent

After careful consideration of all the digital submissions, the judges whittled down the pool of hopefuls to just three exceptional finalists. These talented individuals were invited to London on Friday, 23rd January, for the ultimate cook-off. The final three were:

• Zoe Edwards: A Zoology student from Swansea University, whose passion for the natural world is matched by her flair in the kitchen.
• Ryan Hemming: A promising Medicine student from the University of Manchester, proving that a demanding academic schedule doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good food.
• Anahita Asadi: An Economics & Finance student, also from the University of Manchester, who brought a sharp and precise approach to her culinary craft.

Each finalist had already proven their ability to create visually appealing and imaginative dishes to get this far, setting the stage for an exciting and closely-fought final battle.

The Grand Finale: A High-Stakes Cook-Off Challenge

The atmosphere at Cactus Kitchen was electric as the three finalists took their stations. Their challenge was a true test of classic culinary skill: to prepare Salmon in Puff Pastry, often known as Salmon en Croûte. While they were provided with a base recipe and a curated selection of fresh ingredients, the key to victory lay in their ability to add a unique and creative twist. With the clock ticking, they had just 90 minutes to transform the ingredients into a masterpiece worthy of the title.

Cooking fish inside pastry is a technically demanding task. The contestants had to ensure the salmon was perfectly cooked—moist and flaky—while achieving a golden, crisp puff pastry shell. Overcook it, and the salmon becomes dry; undercook it, and the pastry is soggy. The challenge required precision, time management, and the ability to perform under the watchful eyes of a distinguished panel of food experts. The pressure was on, but all three students rose to the occasion, demonstrating remarkable composure and focus as they worked.

An Esteemed Judging Panel

The responsibility of choosing a winner fell to a panel of five industry experts, each bringing a unique perspective to the tasting table. The judges were:

• Janine Ratcliffe: Food Editor of the highly respected Olive magazine.
• Sam Stern: A celebrated celebrity chef and author known for making cooking accessible.
• Alice Thomson: An acclaimed journalist for The Times.
• Justine Kanter: The founder of Kitchen Coach, an expert in home cooking education.
• Melissa Dickinson: Marketing Manager at Bacofoil, representing the competition’s host.

The panel evaluated each dish based on taste, presentation, technical skill, and the creative use of ingredients. After the intense 90-minute cook-off, each finalist presented their dish for the final tasting and critique.

The Winning Dish: How Zoe Edwards Clinched the Title

After much deliberation, the judges reached a unanimous decision. Zoe Edwards was crowned the winner. Her triumphant dish was a perfectly executed salmon in puff pastry, elevated by an inventive and delicious potato salad side. The judges were particularly impressed by her attention to detail and the thoughtful way she combined flavors and textures.

For her outstanding performance, Zoe was awarded the coveted title of Student Cook of the Year and a grand prize of a £1,000 voucher for groceries—a welcome reward for any student. The two talented runners-up, Ryan Hemming and Anahita Asadi, did not go home empty-handed. They each received £100 and an engraved serving spoon, and all three finalists were given a bag filled with Bacofoil goodies.

Explaining the panel’s decision, judge Janine Ratcliffe said, ‘I was really impressed with the standard of cooking from the students in the competition – it was a very close-run thing and extremely tough to judge. Fish and pastry cooking are both very tricky areas, so the fact that they all turned out great plates at the end was admirable. In the end, Zoe’s eye for detail and inventive use of the ingredients just edged her the winner’s place.’

A Dream Come True: The Winner’s Reaction

As the champagne was poured to celebrate, a delighted Zoe Edwards shared her excitement. ‘After a tense few minutes before being told I’d won the Bacofoil Student Cook of the Year title, a whole mix of emotions were running through my mind,’ she enthused. ‘Cooking has always been a huge part of my childhood, and my family life in general – spurring from my parents, who always inspired me to cook. When my name was announced, I was over the moon – being recognised for being just more than a ‘cook’ is an amazing feeling!’

Zoe also shared how she entered the competition. ‘My friend mentioned the Student Cook of the Year competition to me, seeing as I am such a foodie… and as soon as I entered, lots of my other friends commended me on entering and wished me luck as they knew I had a chance! It was an amazing experience all in all, and I am just so happy to have won!’

For more information about the competition and to see highlights from the final, you can visit the official Bacofoil website.