Eggs Factor competition reaches boiling point

British Lion eggs are a step closer to finding their ‘Eggs Factor’ champion and the new ‘face of eggs’. More than 500 contestants entered the competition, all claiming to be eggspert chefs and many with that something eggstra special.

A series of cook-offs all over the UK have whittled the 500 entrants down to just eight who will battle it out in London on 6 October for the grand title and a £5,000 prize.

Passion, panache and poaching were all on display as the Eggs Factor roadshow visited London, Brighton, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The national finalists include a Slimming World consultant from Tyne & Wear, the owner of a courier firm from Doncaster and a supermarket boss from Leicester. The winning dishes are equally diverse with Spanish baked eggs, smoked salmon carbonarish and deep fried egg with pea, bacon and chicory salad set to be on the menu.

Nerves are sure to be tested to the maximum and the judges will be expecting high standards. Paul Merrett, celebrity chef judge said: “The sheer versatility of eggs has allowed the finalists to come up with a plethora of recipes. It’s going to be a keenly fought final where both good cooking skills and bright personalities will win through.”

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 For more information call the British Egg Information Service on 020 7052 8899

Notes to editors

A full list of the regional finalists and their winning dishes is as follows:

• Sergio Neale from Bury St Edmunds - ‘Deep fried egg with a pea, bacon and chicory salad’
• Gary Parson from Wallington, Surrey - ‘Poached egg on a toasted muffin with buttered spinach, cockles and bacon lardons’
• Vicky Nowak from the Wirral - ‘Smoked salmon carbonarish’
• Jamie Wynd from Leicester - ‘Black pudding yolkie’
• Elaine Garner from Wallsend, Tyne & Wear -  ‘Sweet omelette with quark cream, blackberries and raspberries’
• Alison McSorley from Penarth, Cardiff - ‘Three tiered Welsh omelette’
• Daniel Costello from Doncaster -  ‘Spanish baked eggs’
• Manya Merodoulaki from Chesterfield, Derbyshire -  ‘Egg lemon soup’