TUS student chef wins bronze medal at prestigious national cookery competition

An Athlone-based student at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has secured overall bronze at one of Ireland’s most prestigious cooking competitions.

Lesslie Angeles Terrazas Miguel, representing the Athlone campus of TUS, achieved the podium finish at the Knorr Professional Student Chef of the Year 2026.

Organised by Unilever Food Solutions Ireland, the annual competition – held this year at the Moylish campus of TUS - celebrates excellence, creativity and innovation among Ireland’s emerging culinary talent.

Lesslie was assisted in the national final by Oisin O’Flanagan, from Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, who balances his studies in Athlone with professional experience at Lyrath Estate, where he was recently promoted to Demi Chef.

Lesslie is no stranger to national competition. She was named winner of the Knorr Professional Student Chef of the Year Assistant Skills Test Award in 2025, when the competition final was hosted on the Athlone campus, recognising her technical precision, organisation and performance under pressure. Now stepping forward as lead competitor, she brought valuable experience and confidence to this year’s final.

Originally from Bolivia and now living in Athlone, Lesslie brings a global perspective to her cooking, combining traditional Bolivian ingredients such as mote and aji panca with Irish produce including kale and carrot. Her dishes reflected both her heritage and the spirit of this year’s theme, Borderless Cuisine, which challenged competitors to create two dishes inspired by their background, travels or the diverse communities around them.

John Killeen and Shane Sheedy, lecturers in Culinary Arts at TUS, prepared Lesslie and Oisin for the competition.

John Killeen said Lesslie and Oisin had shown “ real commitment and creativity throughout their preparation" and he described securing a bronze medal as "a fantastic achievement.

Following the live cook-off at the Moylish campus, finalists were judged by leading professionals from Ireland’s hospitality sector, including Audrey Crone, Executive Chef Ireland with Unilever Food Solutions, who said Student Chef of the Year is about "championing the next generation of chefs". He added that the calibre of talent across TUS campuses"continues to impress year after year.”

The competition winner receives an exclusive culinary experience, industry recognition and invaluable exposure within Ireland’s hospitality sector.