Britain's Best Dish | The Final

Winning Britain’s best starter dish was an amazing experience and one which I shall never forget. But there was one more hurdle, the ultimate title of Britain’s best dish. In this final the three course winners would cook their dishes for a live audience as well as the judges, food critics and the team from the Savoy. But it would be the great British public who would choose the ultimate winning dish.

This was a difficult task to expect people to choose between a starter, main and desert as their favourite. This was a difficult one and all I could do was to cook to my very best ability and hope that the audience liked my starter enough to vote for me.

I led a team of highly talented chefs to prepare my dish and then it was served to the audience in the ITV restaurant. I really enjoyed the day because I had already achieved what I had set out to do.

My husband John and mum and dad were going to watch the show today. They joined me in the green room along with the other relatives of the other two contestants. Sharon the mains cook and Conor the desert. Then they went into the studio whilst we had a pep talk from the executive producer, we were told that the audience had tasted all three courses and had voted for their favourite dish; but it was all still to play for as in a twist to the rules the judging panel would also taste and judge our dishes. In the event of a tie the Savoy staff would make the final decision.

So out back into the studio where it had all started the three of us filed out. It was a totally different atmosphere this time, cooking in front of a live audience with our families present was for me a really pleasant experience.

Mary Nightingale went out into the audience to ask which dish had been their favourite and to chat to our relatives. Six out of the seven asked said they had really enjoyed the starter one the desert- maybe just maybe my dish would be chosen to grace the table at the Savoy.

The time came for the judgement Sharon was first to be eliminated, which left Conor and I. It was not meant to be Conors name was called out, a sixteen year old catering student and runner up of young chef of the year, had done it. His desert would appear on the Savoy menu and along with the £10000 he was offered an apprenticeship at the Savoy. What an opportunity for him, a young lad who seriously wanted to be a chef and own his own restaurant one day, a totally life changing experience.

I was a winner too and this experience had also been life changing, as a former school teacher and lover of British produce and recipes I have decided to offer my services to other keen, enthusiastic cooks. I have launched my website and taken up the post as food editor and restaurant critic for regional magazine streets ahead. I will be appearing at Malvern, Stafford and Shrewsbury food festivals demonstrating my dishes and promoting local produce.

Click on services to see what I have to offer and follow my trail around the country and local farmers markets sourcing good quality local produce, try out my seasonal recipes.

I am currently compiling a British foods recipe book and on July 17th Newlands Garden centre is hosting a love food festival, where you will have the opportunity to taste my winning dish, as well as taste and prepare local foods from a whole host of local suppliers.