In partnership with Warwick Conferences, Woodland Grange Conference Centre hosted the 15th annual Conference Centres of Excellence Chefs’ Challenge Competition on Saturday 9th November 2013. The event invites chefs who work in any of the nationwide CCE centres to take part in a cook-off competition at nearby Stratford Upon Avon College, where their skills are put to the test with specific criteria for their menu. This year, the chefs had to prepare a 3 course meal suitable for a banquet, using beef for their main course.
The competition again included a Food Service Skills award, to encourage food service staff to take part and support their chef colleague.
The competition has proved to be a stepping stone for young chefs to go on to higher profile competitions nationwide and is endorsed by the British Culinary Federation. Each Chef receives a certificate and one year’s free membership of the BCF.
The Judges for the cook-off competition were:
• Christopher Basten Craft Guild of Chefs
• Graham Crump (Chair) Executive Chef, University of Warwick
• Graham Day Food H&S Manager, Warwick University
• Jim Eaves Chairman, British Culinary Federation
• Peter Griffiths MBE Director, Le Salon Culinaire International
• Stephen Lambert University of Brighton and TUCO Food Service Skills
The 11 Finalists were:
• Scott Cawse, Barnett Hill
• Jennifer Chaudhuri-Goff, Maple House
• Ryan Dare supported by Natalja Saveljeva for Food Service, Warwick Conferences
• Robert Gossage, Imago @ Burleigh Court
• Bartosz Kowalczyk, Missenden Abbey
• Ross McMillan, Stirling Management Centre
• Iain Miller, Woodside
• Daniel Park, Kents Hill Park
• Josh Sewell, The Manor House
• Claire Willett supported by Megan Horne for Food Service, Wyboston Lakes
• Matthew Wiltshire, Ashorne Hill
The Awards Dinner was this year held at Woodland Grange Conference Centre in Leamington Spa. However the Competition was still Chaired by Andrew Taylor, Food & Beverage Manager from Warwick Conferences Scarman. The dinner was attended by 110 guests from CCE member centres, including a number of the conference industry’s leading figures. The event was supported and sponsored by:
• 3663 First for Food Service
• Althams Meats
• British Premium Meats
• Kent Frozen Foods
• Knight Catering
• Nisbets plc
• Savilles Audio Visual
• E Sidwells
• Stratford Upon Avon College
• Tchibo Coffee International
• Wilson Vale Catering Management
Plus the following CCE Centres:
• Ashorne Hill
• The Beardmore, Scotland
• Burleigh Court
• Kents Hill Park
• The Moller Centre,
• The Sundial Group
• Warwick Conferences
• Woodland Grange
• Wyboston Lakes
A raffle took place during the Awards Dinner, raising £822 for the “Meeting Industry Meeting Needs” charity.
The winners of each Award category were:
• Best Hygiene: Daniel Park, Kents Hill Park
• Best Starter: Matthew Wiltshire, Ashorne Hill
• Best Main Course: Daniel Park, Kents Hill Park
• Best Dessert: Scott Cawse, Barnett Hill
• Best Food Service Skills: Natalja Saveljeva, Warwick Conferences, Scarman
• Chairman’s Award for Best Team Work: Claire Willett and Megan Horne, Wyboston Lakes
• Joint Bronze: Ryan Dare, Warwick Conference Scarman
Claire Willett, Wyboston Lakes
• Silver: Matthew Wiltshire, Ashorne Hill
• Gold: Daniel Park, Kents Hill Park
After much deliberation, the Judges could not differentiate between two chefs for the Bronze Award, so made the decision to award two Bronze medals.
The Gold award winner, Daniel Park from Kents Hill Park presented a menu of :
Starter
Scottish hand dived scallops, charred corn, pancetta, pumpkin
~~~
Main
Smoked fillet of beef, braised shin, horseradish pomme puree,
autumn vegetables, truffle and Madeira jus
~~~
Dessert
Egremont Russet Apple Fritters, blackberry gel, crumble Anglaise
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