Young woman wins Best Pancake award

A twenty-one year old has been named the maker of the Netherlands' best pancakes after results of a hospitality industry competition were revealed.

Ambitious chef Gillian Wilkins won the prestigious title in the HOREVACA Dutch Pancake Baking Championship. Wilkins is the head chef at 't Jagersnest, a specialty pancake restaurant housed near the woods in Ermelo. She created the recipe for the pancakes when she began working at the restaurant two years ago, and she now trains all of the restaurant's cooks.

The competition's jury praised her marshmallow and strawberry flavored pancake, calling it "original, well cooked and well seasoned. The best."

Wilkins got the idea for the flavor from the kids who eat at the restaurant, according to Annet van den Broek, a spokesperson for the restaurant. "She always listens to the kids. The kids like sweets, they wanted marshmallow," Van den Broek says. "But it's important that kids get vitamins. So Gillian combined marshmallow with strawberry."

The twenty-one-year-old student frequently creates new flavors and toppings which are added to the menu depending on customer response and suggestions. "Everything is from and for the customers" said van den Broek.

The restaurant hopes the competition will invoke customer curiosity and encourage more people to taste Wilkins' award-winning pancake.