Cherish the moment

Cherish Finden, pastry sous chef at the Great Eastern hotel at London's Liverpool Street station, is the winner of the eighth Association of Pastry Chefs' Dessert of the Year competition.

Nine chefs took part in the final at Nadell's Patisserie in Islington, London. They were each required to prepare four covers of a plated dessert in two-and-a-half hours with no mise en place allowed.

Finden's dessert, called Sugar Plum Fairy, consisted of vanilla and semolina souffl‚ dumpling, plum ice-cream, sour cherry and spicy orange sauce, and sesame tuile.

"It was chosen on the basis of its excellent flavour and faultless execution," said Alan Huelin, chairman of the association.

Runner-up was Kofi Addai-Mensah, chef de partie at Nadell's, and Leroy Walker, pastry sous chef, also at the Great Eastern hotel, was placed third. Abigail Sarton, second commis at London's Claridge's hotel, received a certificate of merit.

Finden wins a trip to the wine growing regions of Germany provided by Wines of Germany, joint sponsor of the competition along with Arthur Rackham Wine Merchants.

For more information on the Association of Pastry Chefs, visit www.associationofpastrychefs.org.