John Grabecki – head chef at corporate bank company BNY Mellon - has been crowned the Great Sausage Roll Off champion for 2018.

He beat off competition from 15 other chefs to become the first chef to win a title for a second time since the competition was founded in 2013.

Grabecki, who previously won the competition in 2015, created the ‘Ritz and Robs’ roll, comprising a rabbit sausage roll with a loin in the middle surrounded by boudin noir and minced pork shoulder served with a port and rabbit liver parfait.

Credit: The Caterer - Grabecki’s ’Ritz and Robs’ sausage roll

Melissa Cole, beer and food writer, presented the golden sausage roll trophy to Grabecki at the Red Lion pub in Barnes, London.

“It’s great to win the award for a second time, Grabecki told British Baker. “It’s a fun competition and such a friendly atmosphere. The rabbit sausage roll was very similar to what I cooked in 2015. That’s my style of cooking and I felt the balance of flavours for the whole dish was very good.”

The annual competition raises funds for the Shooting Star Charity – a hospice charity that cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions.

The judging panel included: Phillip Howard from Elystan Street; Oliver Peyton from Peyton and Byrne; Eric Lanlard; master patissier and owner of Cake Boy; and Kate Ovens, presenter and man vs food challenge specialist.

Second place went to last year’s winner Charlie Hodson, who created ‘The Jess’ in honour of Paralympic swimmer Jessica-Jane Applegate MBE.

Third place was awarded to Leigh Evans who cooked the ‘Ashton Piggy in the Middle’ for his sausage roll, which was encased in crackling.

The full list of competitors was as follows:

•             Anton Manganaro – BAFTA, Piccadilly, London

•             Ben Williams – The White Swan, Farringdon

•             Brendan Fyldes – Green & Fortune, London

•             Charlie Hodson with Jessica-Jane Applegate MBE & Archers Butchers

•             Chris Brumby – MYPIE Truck, London

•             Adrian Oliver & Stephen Marsh – Cornish Duck Truck

•             James Strawbridge – Crantock Foods, Newquay

•             John Grabecki – BNY Mellon, London

•             Leigh Evans – Methuen Arms, Corsham

•             Mark Thornhill – Kings Head, Hursley

•             Matt Follas – Bramble Café, Poundbury

•             Ollie Chadwick – The Market Café, Knutsford

•             Phil Harrison – Bears Ice Cream, London

•             Rob Allsworth – Broadstairs College, East Kent

•             Robert Taylor – The Compasses Inn, Crundale

•             Si Toft – The Dining room, Abersoch

•             Martin Shires – White Horse, Richmond

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