The 26-year-old took out the top prize with his lamb cutlets with mint pea puree served with a pistachio parmesan tapenade and red wine jus. 

He created the dish last week specially for the grand final. 

Evan said he thought it would be nice to make something using lamb and the salty and crunchy pistachio parmesan tapenade provided a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the peas.

The cook off was held at Paul Welsh’s The Good Guys on Saturday morning. 

The competition has been running for the past four months.

Evan said he began cooking at home for his family when he was about 16 and was delighted that his parents, sister and a couple of friends were out at The Good Guys on Saturday to cheer him on.

“I haven’t had any kind of formal cooking training,” he said yesterday. 

“I’m completely self-taught.

“I find it therapeutic. Despite the stress of needing to do different things at once I find it relaxing.”

Evan said he has no intention of becoming a chef because they work crazy hours.

However, he doesn’t rule out having a go at one of the big competitions like MasterChef or My Kitchen Rules.

“I never even thought about doing something like that until now,” he said. “After the positive feedback I received I might think about it in future.”

It was a close fought competition with a third judge being called in to make the deciding call. 

“Waiting for the result was nerve-wracking,” he laughed.

Cooking against Evan was Amy Mitchell who made a seafood casserole with turmeric rice on behalf of the other finalist Belinda Hanson who couldn’t be there on Saturday. Both dishes were very well received.

For his efforts Evan has won a $3000 kitchen package from The Good Guys, which he was thrilled about.

“I would absolutely do it again, it was very enjoyable.”

Evan thanked all the sponsors, including The Good Guys, Stockland Bathurst and the Western Advocate.