A talented young Dorset chef has earned a place in the final of the South West Junior Chef of the Year 2026 competition. Agatha Magill, 15, from Talbot Heath School in Bournemouth, impressed judges to win the Dorset heat, securing her place in the regional final after competing against five other young cooks from across the county.
Her winning dish featured potato-scaled flounder with beurre blanc, lemon-drizzled samphire and a cold mint pea purée, showcasing local ingredients alongside refined cookery skills.
Agatha will now compete in the grand final at Exeter College in October, where she will vie for the South West title. As part of the competition, she will receive mentoring from Alex Naik, head chef at Thirteen in Poole, who will help her refine her dish ahead of the final.
The Dorset judging panel also included Jamie Jones, chef patron at Yalbury Cottage near Dorchester, and Alan Kelly, chef lecturer at Coastland College.
Michael Caines MBE, co-founder of the South West Chef of the Year competition, praised the high standard of this year’s entries. ‘It was, once again, a very close-run competition with some very impressive dishes created,’ he said.
Now in its 22nd year, the competition aims to encourage the next generation of chefs while celebrating the South West’s outstanding food and drink producers.
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