The food in Northern Ireland has been recognised as among the best in the UK, after one chef in the country was nominated for Chef of the Year. Roland Graham, who works at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast, has made it to the shortlist of the British Culinary Federation's competition for 2010.The cook will battle it out against nine other chefs to show that his food in Northern Ireland is better than across the rest of the UK. In the final cook-off, each competitor will have to create a starter, a main which includes a saddle of lamb and a dessert. If Mr Graham is the lucky winner he will take home £2,500 and the title.
The quality of the competitors has been praised, with Peter Allen, managing director of Aubrey Allen, which sponsors the competition, saying: "It is so good to see so many talented young chefs, although I do not envy the pressure that they will experience or the task of the judges in deciding which one should be awarded first prize."
The Merchant Hotel serves a range of food in Northern Ireland, from its bar food to the more formal Great Room Restaurant
