Latest Chefs Challenge underlines quality of food in dedicated venues

Martin Thliveros, sous chef at The Beardmore Conference Centre in Clydebank near Glasgow, has won the 2010 Conference Centres of Excellence/IACC Chefs’ Challenge.

The Chefs’ Challenge was first established in the 1990’s. It invites entries from members of the Conference Centres of Excellence consortium of specialist venues, and from members of IACC, the International Association of Conference Centres. Finalists are selected on the basis of written menus, and then compete in an ‘against the clock’ cook-off.

The purpose of the Challenge is to underpin the exceptional quality of food now served in specialist conference and training venues: “In fact, there are two objectives,” explains Anthony Lishman, Executive Director of Conference Centres of Excellence: “To elevate the standards of food within the UK’s dedicated conference venues to the highest possible levels, whilst allowing the chefs to develop their skills even further.”

Martin clinched the Gold Medal with a varied three course menu which placed great demands on his culinary skills and his ability to work against a very tight schedule. His starter was ballentine of sea trout with caviar crème fraiche, shallot and radish salad and aioli. His main course was breast and thigh of chicken with celeriac puree, wild mushroom and bacon, with a roasting jus and truffle foam. His dessert was terrine of apple and cinnamon, apple sorbet and cinnamon cream with toffee apples and caramel custard.

The Silver Medal went to Gajraj Sharma of IET: Savoy Place in London, who also won the award for ‘best main course’. The Bronze Medal was clinched by Victor Chin Fai Chan, of the Woodside in Kenilworth. The ‘best starter’ award was won by Gavin Kellett of Barnett Hill near Guildford, who also won the ‘best wine selection’ award. Ben Morris of Nottingham’s National College for School Leadership won ‘best dessert’, while the ‘best hygiene’ award was taken by Jennifer Goff of Birmingham’s Maple House.

The awards event took place at Scarman House conference venue, part of the Warwick Conferences group. “Despite the demands of this prestigious competition, this year’s finalists once again produced exceptional results,” said Richard Harrison, chairman of Conference Centres of Excellence and organiser of this year’s Challenge, who presented Martin with his winner’s trophy: “All of them worked tremendously hard and there were some amazing and ingenious creations: it was a perfect illustration of the standards of cuisine that are now available at leading conference venues.”

Latest Chefs Challenge underlines quality of food in dedicated venues