Last week three students from Newbury College's professional cookery course took part in a live cook off' at the final of The Country Range Student Chef Challenge in Hotelympia. The team, consisting of Emanuelle Dupas, Harley Paxford and Lewis Tull, were awarded bronze and came joint third overall.
Now in its 24th year, The Country Range Student Chef Challenge is a national competition allowing full-time hospitality students to showcase their culinary skills and creativity. Six teams from colleges all over the UK, had to cook a three-course, three cover menu with a theme of Around the World in Three Spices'. The winner of the event was City of Glasgow College and Westminster Kingsway the runner up.
Commenting on the live final, student Lewis Tull, said: We were quite nervous to begin with, but we soon relaxed into it. It was quite stress free in the end.
It was good that we were all cooking together, added Emanuelle Dupas. Having the team around us meant that we could talk and encourage each other.
Newbury College course leader, Malcom Baggott, said: The team did ever so well to get to the final, competing against many other top colleges. They held their nerve even in front of an audience of over 500 people and produced some fantastic food. We are very proud of them.
The menu included a starter of spiced pan-fried Cornish mackerel fillets, with lentils, cauliflower and braised leeks, followed by roast guinea fowl supreme with ras el hanout, bulgur, purple broccoli and a tahini dressing, and finished with a hazelnut biscuit with Szechuan spiced pineapple and milk chocolate sauce for dessert.
Lewis and Emanuelle are second year students on Level 2 Professional Cookery course at Newbury College. Student Harley Paxford is in his first year. The students are taught in a professional kitchen and serve meals in the college restaurant which is open to members of the public on Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes and Thursday evenings during term time.
For more information or to book a table click here.