Proof is in the pudding for Star chef in county awards

Ben Cox, owner and head chef of The Star in Sancton, was named Yorkshire pudding champion after beating competitors from across the county in a contest organised and hosted by The Cooking School at Dean Clough, an award-winning cookery school near Halifax considered to be among the best in Europe.

Mr Cox’s puddings triumphed against those served by a shortlist including Tim Bilton from The Burcher’s Arms at Hepworth, West Yorkshire; Stephanie Moon from Rudding Park, near Harrogate; and James Wallace, from The Milestone in Sheffield.

The puddings were judged by food writers Elaine Lemm, author of The Great Book of Yorkshire Pudding, and Mandy Wragg and Jill Turton from the food website Squidbeak.

He said: “I was up against some of the best known chefs in the Yorkshire region and, as you can imagine, the competition was pretty fierce. I’m absolutely thrilled that my Yorkshire puddings were judged to be the best.

“The Yorkshire pudding is the cornerstone of a traditional Yorkshire Sunday lunch and I pride myself on making a really fantastic one, but it’s an honour to get recognition from such well-respected food writers.”

The Star is one of five county restaurants shortlisted in the Yorkshire Restaurant of the Year category of the 2011 White Rose awards.

Mr Cox will be cooking dishes made with locally produced cider at the Beverley Food Festival next month.