BBC radio stepped up to a live culinary challenge when Loughborough College appeared as guests on the morning show today.
Presenter Ady Daman and producer Sophie Cook went head to head to plate up two courses from a medal-winning menu recreated by College students Emily Bucknall and Sian Dixon.
The duo cooked up a storm in the BBC Radio Leicester kitchen as they talked about the dishes which, together with fellow student Aveir Gordon, helped Loughborough College to a medal win for the second year in a row at the prestigious national Country Range Student Chef Challenge.
Meanwhile, Ady compared College Chef lecturer and Hospitality lead Darren Creed to Willy Wonka as he impressed the presenter and Sophie with an exciting tasting of a selection of Koppert Cress speciality herbs used by students in their prize-winning dishes, including Blink Blossom, Honey Cress and Szechuan Buttons.
The plate-off challenge saw Sophie attempt to match Sian’s skill with with the main course dish including Pan-roasted Sea Bass, Jerusalem artichoke puree, butter beans, seaweed and a red wine jus. Ady squared up to Emily for the dessert including a hazelnut praline, a chocolate marquis, Chantilly cream and raspberry pearlage.
On seeing the presenter’s valiant but less than perfect efforts Darren, who recently won bronze at the International Culinary Olympics, declared he was “lost for words”.
Ady signed off by saying how great it had been to have Darren, Emily and Sian on the show and that he hoped the students continued to “win everything in their sights.”
Hear Darren, Emily and Sian on BBC Radio throughout the show here between 0:42 and 2:25: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04z6y0v#play
Pictured: Loughborough College’s Sian Dixon goes head to head with BBC Radio Leicester producer Sophie Cook as presenter Ady Daman looks on