Oil-"QOCO Award " Balish is the winner of 2008 edition.

Douglas Balish," the most passionate cook of the United Kingdom" as he defines himself, is the winner of QOCO'S 2008 edition. The jury has designed him, with its chairman Alfonso Iaccarino. Balish has been awarded today in the Cocevola farm at Andria- Castel del Monte, surrounded by olive trees; the Qoco Award has been organized by the town council of Andria with the help of the National Association Città dell'olio, Slow food, and the support of Apulia Region, province of Bari. Douglas Balish, 22 years-old, works by the Bohemia Restaurant St. Helier of Jersey; he won on eight participants preparing the red mulled with "tabouleh" filled with marrows, thinly sliced raw fish ( Capesante) dressed with olive oil, bread, local big beans, and salad dressed with olive oil. The jury liked this recipe best, it was also joined with Michele Rotondo's dish from Masseria Petrino from Palagianello( Ravioli-handmade envelope of pasta filled with bitter herbs, ricotta- typical fresh sheep-cheese, tomatoes and oil); the President of the jury Alfonso Iaccarino has explained "it is the most creative and Mediterranean recipe at the same time, showing a good technique together with a good talent". The second in the list is Felix Metzger a twenty-one- year-old German cook( the youngest of all the participants), he has been the one to make a dessert, thus showing a good talent and a right use of spices. The third in the list is Alessio Duò, the representative of our nation, chef at the hotel de Russie in Rome. Who was well represented the products of our country. During this concourse 16 dishes have been presented (8 could be chosen by the participants and 8 suggested by the jury with established ingredients: durum wheat, vegetables and extra virgin olive oil); these recipes have been prepared by the eight tutor-chefs from Apulia and by the eight cooks coming from Austria, Denmark, Germany, England, Italy, Holland, Poland, Sweden all led by Mauro Pansini and his staff from Cocevolta farm at Andria-Castel del Monte (Apulia).