Venues of Excellence (Previously Conference Centres of Excellence)

Conference Centres of Excellence hosted the 16th annual Chefs’ Challenge Competition on Saturday 25th October 2014.  

The event invites chefs who work in any of the nationwide CCE centres to take part in a cook-off competition where their skills are put to the test with specific criteria for their menu.  For this year’s competition in the kitchens of Milton Keynes College (Bletchley Campus), the chefs had to prepare a 3 course meal suitable for a conference banquet, using game 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, and saw 6 entries into this team element of the challenge.

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:

• Graham Crump, Executive Chef Warwick Conferences

• Jim Eaves, Chairman British Culinary Federation

• Fergus Martin, Head Chef, Darwin College Cambridge

• Jerry Toth, Executive Chef, Sundial Group 

• Stephen Lambert, University of Brighton

• Graham Day, Food and HS Manager, University of Warwick

The 10 Finalists, shortlisted from their detailed menus were:

• Ashley Harrison, College Court

• Iain Ramsay, The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre

• Jennifer Chaudhuri-Goff, Maple House

• Matt Wiltshire, Ashorne Hill

• Ashley Holt, Wellcome Trust – supported by Cydney Nicholson-Ray for Food Service Skills

• Claire Willett, Wyboston Lakes – supported by Josh Spence for Food Service Skills

• Jason Turton, College Court – supported by Richard Augustus for Food Service Skills

• Keith Tayler, Scarman Warwick Conferences – supported by Kimberley Tayler for Food Service Skills

• Kieron Toner, Wyboston Lakes – supported by Linda Zilberta for Food Service Skills

• Robert Gossage, Burleigh Court – supported by James Geary for Food Service Skills

The Awards Dinner was this year held at one of the founder members of the Conference Centres of Excellence consortium, Cranfield Management Development Centre.  The dinner was attended by just under 100 guests from CCE member centres, including a number of the conference industry’s leading figures. 

The event was supported and sponsored by:

• British Premium Meats

• Tchibo Coffee International

• Wilson Vale

• Kent Frozen Foods

• Elior UK

• Savona

Plus the following CCE Centres:

• Ashorne Hill

• The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre

• College Court

• Warwick Conferences

• Wellcome Trust

A raffle took place during the Awards Dinner, raising £725 for the “Meeting Industry Meeting Needs” charity.

The winners of each Award category were:

• Best Hygiene:   Claire Willet, Wyboston Lakes

• Best Starter: Keith Tayler, Warwick Conferences

• Best Main Course:  Keith Tayler, Warwick Conferences

• Best Dessert: Claire Willett, Wyboston Lakes

• Best Food Service Skills: James Geary, Burleigh Court

• Chairman’s Award for Best Team Work: Linda Zilberta and Kieran Toner, Wyboston Lakes

• Bronze:   Matt Wiltshire, Ashorne Hill

• Silver: Robert Gossage, Burleigh Court

• Gold: Keith Tayler, Warwick Conferences

The Gold award winner, Keith Tayler of Warwick Conferences presented a menu of :

Starter 

Seared Filllet of John Dory

Razor Clams and Crayfish served with a Butter Sauce

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Main 

Roast Loin of Red Stag

With Forest Mushrooms, Celeriac Purée, Butternut Squash and Parsnip

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Dessert 

Dark Chocolate and Orange Mousse

With Praline, Hazelnuts and Basil Ice Cream

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Val do Xuliana Albarino

Cotes-du-Rhone Arbuse

Domaine du Mas Neuf Muscat de Mireval