The ‘Rising Stars’ challenge began earlier this summer with organisers scouring the country to find budding bakers and cooks between five and twelve years old. The entrants were encouraged to whip up their favourite dish and submit via a short video to the judging panel, which was made up of Big Feastival organisers and its celebrity chefs. 
Twelve-year-old Cooper Wilson from Marlborough impressed the judges in the first rounds, showing off her baking skills by creating an incredible ‘Oreo Surprise Cake’. With four semi-finalists raking in over one thousand votes on Facebook from members of the public, the top two entrants, including Cooper, were then invited to attend the food, music and family-focused festival last Bank Holiday Weekend with their families to enjoy a weekend of sunshine and take part in the ultimate cook-off challenge on the NEFF Little Kitchen stage. The finale took place on Sunday afternoon on the NEFF Little Kitchen stage at the Big Feastival, with the judges making the final decision on who should scoop the culinary crown and be named 2017’s ‘Rising Star’. Other prestigious judges included celebrity chefs Nathan Outlaw and his daughter Jessica, Tom Herbert and his daughter Bea, and Nicky Corbishley and daughter Gracie. 
Chef and Rising Stars judge Nathan Outlaw said: “It’s really great to see kids getting into cooking from a young age. Jess, my daughter, was helping with the judging today too – she’s always been my main critic. Today we definitely found some future stars who I can maybe even steal for my own restaurant!” The Big Feastival was held on Alex James’ farm last weekend in Kingham, the Cotswolds. For more information, visit Big Feastival’s website: http://thebigfeastival.com/
