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Six Loughborough College chefs selected for prestigious national culinary final

Posted: 8th December 2016 - 4:37pm

No fewer than six young Loughborough College chefs are set to compete at the national final of a prestigious culinary competition – an incredible 50% of the line up selected from across the country.

With only twelve shortlisted for the Teflon Diamond Standards Awards 2017 cook off, it is an outstanding achievement that every student nominated by the College has taken one of the coveted places with Mary Harper, Sam Robinson, Sian Dixon, Zac Gudger, Billie-Gee Underwood and Emily Bucknall facing a full day of challenges at the London event.

Not only will celebrity chef Lesley Waters be heading a judging panel including John Williams MBE, Executive Chef at The Ritz and Martyn Nail, Executive Chef at Claridge’s but they will be joined by 2015 Teflon DSA winner and former Loughborough College student James Ganderton.

The 2017 winner will come away with the offer of a scholarship arranged by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts for a three-year Advanced Apprenticeship, training at the highest level at establishments such as The Dorchester, The Ritz, Claridge’s and Chewton Glen as well as a £500.00 cash prize and £250.00 worth of cookware.

James has now finished his course at Loughborough College and taken up his prize, embarking on the first year of his three year Specialised Chefs Scholarship, with a placement at the award-winning Chewton Glen Hotel.

“As always, we made the students work hard rigorously testing and presenting their dishes before we would even consider nominating them for the competition – but still I was taken aback when I saw all six had reached the final.

“That is real testament to the quality of their entries and the standards achieved amongst this group of talented young chefs. We are delighted and very proud of them all,” said Loughborough College Hospitality and Catering Lead Darren Creed.

The six Loughborough College hospitality and catering students secured their place in the final with elegant chocolate amaretto cheesecake from Billie, ballotine of chicken and red wine jus with Pommes Duchesse from Zac, courgette mousse textures of tomato from Mary, sous vide fillet of pork, Savoy cabbage chou croute, silver skins, sea purslane, pea shoot and sherry veal jus from Sian and poached fillet of beef, braised potato, caramelised onion tart, crispy shallots, buttered asparagus, red wine jus and chive oil from Emily.

The finalists’ cook off day includes observation and skills tests, cooking a classic soufflé omelette of choice, a demonstration of a fish dish which competitors will be asked to replicate and cooking a recipe of choice.

The National Final of the Teflon DS Awards 2017 will take place at the Waitrose Cookery School in London on January 25.

Pictured (left to right): Loughborough College Teflon DS Awards 2017 national finalists Billie-Gee Underwood, Zac Gudger, Mary Harper, Siân Dixon, Sam Robinson and Emily Bucknall with (centre) Darren Creed