Loughborough College chefs are about to set off on a seven hundred mile journey to join team GB at the 2016 International Culinary Olympics.
Daniella Bromley, Emily Bucknall and Rebecca Brooks earned themselves a coveted place alongside some of the world’s best chefs after winning gold at the Country Range Student Chef Challenge in London.
Their triumph in the prestigious national competition will see the trio from Loughborough College, together with Hospitality Lead Darren Creed, join the Craft Guild of Chefs Great Britain team as they battle 2000 chefs from 40 countries for the Culinary Olympics crown in Germany.
Daniella, Emily and Rebecca will work with the squad over five days of competition and a range of events – including Darren going head to head with international chefs to create and plate a five course menu.
“These young chefs are so talented. They were the only all-female team competing in London earlier this year and they won. In an industry which is still male-dominated that in itself could not fail to inspire other young female chefs. But joining
the British squad at the International Culinary Olympics, that is a whole new level.
“We have fewer than 100 hospitality and catering students at Loughborough College and to take on far larger colleges and reach this global level of competition is a major achievement.
“Because we’ll have too much equipment to fly, we’ll have a 700 mile trip by ferry and road to get there and then it will be a 4.30am start each day.
“I will be supporting the girls and the British team as well as competing myself for the team in the five-course festive meal and canapé events. It’s a massive honour all round and very exciting.”
“We have been honing all our skills and learning some new ones to make sure we’re at the top of our game,” added Daniella.
“Of course it will be pressurized but I know we are going to enjoy every minute. We feel more nervous for Darren than ourselves.”
“It will be nice to be able to support Darren as much as he always supports us,” agreed Emily. “It will be long days but we can’t wait. It really will be a fantastic experience.”
“It is crazy. I am nervous and excited – I don’t even mind the early starts,” said Rebecca. “It will be buzzing. What an honour to be working alongside the GB team.”
Darren, Emily, Rebecca and Daniella will join Fergus Martin, Christopher Basten, Matthew Carter, Matt Edmonds, Sam Jones and Stephan Taylor on the Great Britain team.
The International Culinary Olympics 2016 will be hosted in Erfurt, Germany from 19-25 October.
Pictured: The Loughborough College chefs joining the Great Britain team at the International Culinary Olympics (left to right) students Rebecca Brooks, Darren Creed, Daniella Bromley and Emily Bucknall