Ethan Rodgers has been crowned the Cotswold’s Yorkshire Pudding King after a competition between four chefs, held to celebrate National Yorkshire Pudding Day.
After a three-year absence, the Cotswold Yorkshire Pudding Competition returned with the title going to the executive chef of Cirencester Park Polo Club Brasserie, Beaufort Bistro at Beaufort Polo Club, Longdole Polo Club and Pettifers Hotel, in Crudwell, Wiltshire.
The competition was between Ethen, TJ of Cirencester’s Téatro Bar and Restaurant, Neil Johnson of Cheeky Swine at The Bees Knees, also Cirencester and Danny Field, the executive chef of the Water’s Edge wedding venue, in Ewen, Gloucestershire.
The independent judging panel were Cotswold Life editor, Candia McKormack, TV’s Dr. Dawn Harper and Camilla Foster, of the Wilts and Glos Standard newspaper. After blind taste testing the decision was unanimous and Ethan was crowned the winner.
“To win this award on National Yorkshire Pudding Day, Sunday February 4, was an honour, as I am familiar with some of the past winners,” Ethan said. “The secret, which is no more is that the milk for the batter was infused with rosemary, garlic, thyme and a bay leaf for 24 hours before cooking. Clarified chicken fat was used to cook the Yorkie and in the mix was powdered chicken skin and lemon thyme.”
“A big thanks to all the other chefs, it was a pleasure to spend some time with them, it was a shame that Neil could not make, it due to illness, but his Yorkies did via his second chef and like the others they were worthy competition.” he added.
