When I first entered Tesco Young Chef of the Year, my feeling was that there would be an abundance of fervent young cooks, leaving me lost behind a crowd of similarity. However, a euphoric shiver ran through me as I found I had become a finalist and I began straight away to prepare.

First on the menu was tea infused venison with a red wine and port jus served with butternut purée. My South African mum always used to stand waiting at the train station as a gust of smoke cleared to reveal a whole deer from her Uncle’s sheep station. This meat became a focal part of life and, coupled with the native butternut, it seemed to be a true representation of who I am.

My dessert of apple and thyme tartlets with raspberry coulis was a nod to the vegetation in my garden and its flavour could provide a gentle relief from the intense heat. Finally, hot and cold salmon sandwich with beetroot mayonnaise, dill pâté and parmesan crisps was my sandwich. This was chosen purely to showcase my imagination and flair with new culinary ideas.

On the day at Leiths School of Food and Wine, my food combinations and unfathomable knowledge of origin placed me in the final four. After making my sandwich and a classic omelette, I was crowned the winner. I won a trip to Florida, a column in Tesco magazine, £1,000 worth of cookery equipment for my school and a Novelli academy voucher.

I even got praise from the TV chef and restaurateur Jean Christophe Novelli, who was on the judging panel. He said: “Ryan’s mature confidence in the kitchen, as well as his great range of skills and his very personal approach to developing his menu, are incredible for someone so young. He’s definitely a talent to watch.”