Shirley Davies from Burray has been selected for The Lucky Local spot in this year’s Orkney MasterChef competition.
Nominated by daughter Jo, Shirley was selected from all the Lucky Local entries after a vote by the members and directors of Orkney Food and Drink who are organisers of the event.
Keen amateur cook Shirley, will pit her culinary skills against three of the county’s professional chefs at next month’s competition – part of the 2014 Orkney Food Festival.
She’ll go head to head with full-time chefs Roddy Belford (Foveran), Sarah Taylor (Hamnavoe), and Hazel Hourston (Lynnfield) at the competition, being staged in the Orkney Theatre on 1 October.
The event will be compered by BBC Radio Orkney’s Dave Gray, where each chef will prepare a three-course meal within a fully fitted professional kitchen, specially installed in the theatre by competition sponsors Jewson.
A panel of judges from the food and drink, tourism and catering sectors, along with some members of the audience, will sample the culinary creations before the title of Orkney MasterChef 2014 is awarded to the chef deemed to have come up with the best menu on the night.
Shirley said she’d been totally unaware that Jo had nominated her for the MasterChef competition.
“She forgot to tell me and then went on holiday,” said Shirley, who grows much of the produce she uses in her cooking. “When I got the phone call letting me know I’d been selected, I was initially terrified. But, I’m always up for a challenge. I love cooking and would regret it if I didn’t go for it. What could possibly go wrong?”
Although she’s already started planning and practising for the competition, Shirley is staying tight-lipped about what her MasterChef menu might consist of.