Canapés? It’s All About Ready, Set, Fill with Pidy
We discovered just how good the Pidy canapé range is at this year’s Game Fair where we hosted a party for TV’s Paul Whitehouse. Filled with smoked trout, sour cream, horseradish and watercress the Pidy canapé cone came into its own.
With the Pidy canapé range all you have to do is think about what fillings and toppings you want to present to your guests. The hard work of pastry has already been done. Whether you’re thinking vol au vent, tartlet, choux bun, savoury or sweet – Pidy has you covered.
And we’re not just talking about any pastry. This is Pidy pastry which has been delighting gourmets and gourmands for decades – since 1967, in fact.
Every piece of the canapé range is technically innovative, hugely creative and designed with the chef in mind. That means you can have confidence that whatever you serve will have that same luxurious richness for which Pidy is famous.
The Game Fair party in the Fishing Village was overseen by Michelin-starred chef Hywel Griffith from The Beach House in Oxwich alongside students from West London College. The Pidy cones were presented on special wooden boards from Richkins Woodcraft had special holes drilled in.
Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “Working with the Pidy canapé range was a dream for us. The cones were simple to fill and tasted delicious. Served alongside a very good Cava Brut from Tanners Wine everyone enjoyed the party and the food.”
Chef of the Week: Sofiane Kaced, Executive Chef at Bankside Hotel, London
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
Since February 2023.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My mother. Growing up in Southern France and watching my mother cooking from an early age had a huge influence on my passion for cooking as well as my style and technique. Her food was typically French/Mediterranean, fresh locally grown, seasonal foods (lots of peppers) cooked over the grill.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
I love that I can be creative. Having the freedom to create new dishes, flavours and textures is fulfilling and rewarding. Seeing people smile and enjoying my food is the best feeling.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Onion, thyme and olive oil.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
The grill.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Wood fires are hot! Excuse the pun. Everything is about sustainability, provenance and growing your own. I really hope these are not just trends, and that people are genuinely moving towards this direction.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Allowing pressure and stress to get to them, this causes a stressful environment to work in. Over working dishes is another thing that can let them down, sometimes you just need the confidence to know something works.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Spring. I love the way the season suddenly changes with promise. The bright colours, the first shoots of crops growing. It’s also a time to start planning new crops. It feels like a fresh start. I just love that.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
From the current menu the ‘Beetroot carpaccio’ and the ‘Beef Tartar’.
How do you come up with new dishes?
I am constantly gathering ideas, even when I am not looking to create new dishes. I jot things down, am constantly trying to discover new ingredients & suppliers and then I bring it all altogether through brainstorming.
Who was your greatest influence?
I have two! Christian Sinicropi, he was always ahead of his times. I remember him 20 years standing out from the crowd wearing a bright green jacket rather than traditional whites. He cooks simple food, creativity.
My second is Jason Atherton. His influence stems from working alongside him. He is an incredibly talented chef, and I learnt a lot from him.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
- Yannick Alleno – and who wouldn’t. He is a huge success story.
- Pierre Gagnaire – simply inspirational. The colours, textures and tastes are a work of art.
- Pierre Koffmann – a true legend, I have huge respect for him.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Pollen Street cookbook.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
The team at Pavillon Ledoyen, Yannick Alleno and Mauro Colagreco at The OWO.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Lima.
Welcome to The Academy Family South & City College Birmingham!
We have a new member of The Chefs’ Forum Academy club! We are very pleased to announce that South & City College Birmingham has joined us.
As a new member of our Academy roster, catering students at South & City College Birmingham can look forward to masterclasses from top chefs, participation at industry events and lunches and on-the-job training at some of the best restaurants and kitchens in the Midlands region.
Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “We’re really chuffed to be in South & City College Birmingham is such a great college. We can’t wait to get started and we’ve got a strong list of local chefs who are ready to go with masterclasses. September’s calendar already looks top notch with Mark Walsh from Hogarths delivering a masterclass on game butchery plus the creation of a modern game dish.”
Adam Porter, Head of School for Hospitality & Catering, Hairdressing and Barbering from South & City College Birmingham said: “We are very excited to have our own Chefs’ Forum Academy. We’ve seen the work Catherine and the team have done across the UK and it’s very impressive. One of the clinching factors for us is the amount of extra reach into the industry our students will have. The experience they will get from masterclasses and events is going to be a key part of their development.”
The college will also be hosting a Taster Day this September to encourage local school students to take up hospitality as their chosen career.
It will feature:
- Canapé & mocktail reception
- Exose Grant – MasterChef: The Professionals Finalist 2019 and Head Chef at Ikaro – Pasta making demo and cookery masterclass
- Ross Pike – Executive Chef at Oakman Inns – An Oakman Inns classic dish
- Munayam Khan – Chef Patron at Raja Monkey Making the perfect samosa
- Angelina Adamo – Chef Patron at Tutto Apposto & The Circle Lounge at The Hippodrome
- Tom Everard-Fairburn – Pastry Chef at Two Brothers Bakery
Cooking is not the only skill that students will be learning. In January 2024 students will be taking part in a business study at Birmingham Wholesale Market.
Munayam Khan, owner of Raja Monkey restaurant, will accompany students to the market and help them select seasonal produce to a budget of £25 per pair.
They then return to college to create a two-course meal to cook (supervised by Munayam and Chef Lecturers) and serve to the teaching staff in the college restaurant at lunchtime.
The pair who make the most profit and sell the most of their menu win a meal for two with their Chef Lecturer at one of the Lasan Group restaurants.
Le Gruyère was The World-Award-Winning Star of this Year’s Game Fair
This year, we teamed-up with the famous Swiss cheese to reveal hidden twists to old classics that take game to a new level. Le Gruyère stand this year hosted Michelin-starred chef Hywel Griffith and a team of students from West London College with Chef Lecturer, Bob Carruthers, Cindy Challoner, Chef Lecturer at Coleg Gwent, Ashleigh Ferrand, Head Chef at The Kingham Plough and Martyn Watkins of Laksa Shack in Cardiff. There were four demonstrations each day of The Game Fair and we were delighted with the magnificent Le Gruyère stage, built and managed by The Demo Kitchen Company.
To add a touch of ‘shooty class’ to the line-up, we also offered ‘Elevenses’ each day at 11am, consisting of delicious fennel salami from Somerset Charcuterie, accompanied by a delicious Dutch Barn Vodka cocktail – A very traditional snack on shoot days.
All demos had the benefit of delicious Koppert Cress varieties being grown live in the marquee in a Bloomkube or hydroponic cube, so the recipes could be enhanced with tasty and nutritious microgreens and microherbs paired to each dish by the chefs.
Ashleigh Ferrand, selected Koppert’s Tahoon cress to go with her French onion soup, pulled venison and Le Gruyère crouton – This is a timeless French classic with a twist. Ashleigh said
“The richness of the Gruyère cheese complimented the soup without overpowering and the cress added a subtle flavour and a bight vibrancy to the dish to cut through and lighten-up the dish. I love Le Gruyére because it’s a versatile cheese that can be baked into a crisp, melted into a dish, such as risotto and used as a garnish on top as an alternative to parmesan, especially the Reserve Le Gruyère, which is an absolute show-stopper in my opinion.”
It was great to be able to educate the audience on brilliant and delicious ways to cook with the game that they shoot – Our top quality game featured in the demos was kindly sponsored by Lincolnshire Game.
One lady said that the partridge her husband shoots gives her the ‘ick factor’ and so she usually ends up throwing them away – The audience gasped in amazement, as the whole purpose of our line-up of game cookery demos was to promote the eating of wild game meat.
By the end of the demo by Cindy Challoner, she had not only tried the Stuffed Partridge Ballotine with Caramelised Pears and loved it, she then asked if there was some sort of game cookery retreat she could embark upon with The Chefs’ Forum to learn how to make the most of the game shot by her family – Now that’s food for thought and a great idea to take further.
Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum and Publisher of The Great Game Guide and The Welsh Game Guide, said:
“We decided to make the demos simple this year and easy to recreate at home. We didn’t want everything to be too cheffy or complicated. We were also really excited to be given the opportunity to work alongside the brand activation team at Le Gruyère. It really is amazing how well it goes with game and all samples were snapped-up in seconds. It was lovely to see the same faces come back throughout the weekend to see more demos from their favourite chefs.”
Dishes cooked on the demo stage are available on our recipe page CLICK HERE, by popular demand of the audience at the show (we’ve already received eager email enquiries to this effect), as well as the chefs who follow our event schedule.
In other areas of The Game Fair, top chefs and students, all representing The Chefs’ Forum joined the massive catering operation across VIPs, crew and volunteers.
MasterChef: The Professionals finalist, Exose Grant and West London College graduates, Jahmi and Laurie were also called upon to join the brigade and work in James Martin’s restaurant at the show, alongside the food hero himself to cater for hundreds of VIPs in the private enclosure – A brilliant opportunity to experience high-volume, high-end event catering.
Hywel Griffith and his team from The Beach House, Oxwich swooped in to cater a Michelin-starred and fizz reception in the fishing village with Celebrity Comedian/Fly Fishing expert, Paul Whitehouse.
The students ably helped his team to create and assemble a delicious menu, showcasing game and yes, even more delicious Le Gruyère!
The beautiful canapés comprised:
- Venison and Gruyère with barbequed pineapple
- Spicy partridge tacos with avocado and coriander
- Crispy pheasant with sriracha mayo and toasted sesame
- Smoked trout, sour cream, horseradish and watercress
- Lemon meringue tart
- Almond choux, mascarpone, orange and ginger
The chefs were all amazing and the food produced, out of this world and we can’t wait to do it all again next year!
Chef of the Week: Sandor Bagameri, Bakery Consultant in Bradford
How long have you worked at your current restaurant/in your current role?
Over 25 years.
Where did your passion for baking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I started to bake when I was 6 with my grandma, the smell of the freshly baked bread straight from the wood fired oven led to my profession. I qualified as a baker and pastry chef in Hungary and I’ve got Master degree in Food Science.
What do you enjoy most about being a baker?
It gives endless possibilities to create breads, cakes and desserts.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t bake without.
Flour, water and salt.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Oven.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Vegan/wholegrain baked goods.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Not having enough patience, mistakes are not a failure, it’s opportunity to learn.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Every season offers it’s main flavours, so no particular favourite one.
Which of your bake are you most proud of?
White farmhouse loaf and brioche bun, both of them are national winner.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Following new trends and blending with old traditions.
Who was your greatest influence?
Guy Frenkel.
Tell us three baker you admire.
Guy Frenkel, Chad Robertson and Richard Bertinet.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Anything from Tartinet.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Hopefully it’s me.
What’s been your favourite new bakery opening of the last year?
Stir Bakey in Cambridge.
From Harrods to The Headland Hotel – The FlashGRILL is Hot Stuff!
Every inch of a FlashGRILL is HOT. Seriously hot.
A FlashGRILL is not normal. By using a heating element submerged in a diathermic liquid the heat produced is spread to every part of the grill surface. Furthermore, when cold foods are put onto the grill the time taken to heat up again is reduced by the same system. The result: a very hot, complete, grill surface which can produce savings of up to 70%.
The idea is simple. Traditional grills use a heating element or gas flames which directly heat the cooking surface. FlashGRILLs are not built this way. Instead this patented system supplies an even heat to the cooking surface meaning that chefs can rely on the heat always being the exact temperature they need.
Gavin Edney, Executive Chef at The Headland Hotel in Cornwall said,
“The FlashGRILL plays a vital role in our busy kitchen, ensuring we can cope with the tremendous volume served during the holiday season. We often see 250 covers served each service and the consistent heat and ease of cleaning really helps us execute our Terrace Menu, quickly and efficiently – Lower temperatures are used to retain moisture and preserve flavours and texture, minimising the chance of burning food and therefore less wastage.
We use FlashGRILL to cook-off our chicken breasts for summery Cesar salads, all our steaks are cooked to perfection to guests’ preference and juicy local beef burgers simply fly off the pass as a delicious beachside snack. Built to last and efficient on energy, FlashGRILL is a much-valued member of our kitchen team.”
What’s a diathermic liquid? It’s a good question. The answer is a liquid that transfers heat quickly and effectively. By having the heating elements heat the liquid not the surface a FlashGRILL can operate faster and more completely – meaning no hot or cold spots.
Another fan of the FlashGRILL is Valentina Maschio, Head Chef at Gordon Ramsay Burger in Harrods, she has historically cooked on charcoal, but in the nine months she has been in her current post, she has been really impressed with this clever plancha, often coping with 400-500 covers per day, when reliability is crucial.
Valentina said
“This is the first time I have used The FlashGRILL, but I can tell you that I am seriously impressed. I can achieve a consistent temperature to cook perfect burgers, no problem at all. It is so simple to use, that chefs of all levels can easily operate it and it is very safe for the more junior members of the brigade. We also use it to cook fish and toast bread – This really is a great plancha and I would definitely recommend it to my chef peers”
The system, this time installed by CCE London, is so efficient it can even handle frozen foods that really suck the heat out of a traditional grill. The diathermic liquid gets heat to cold spots quicker than traditional methods meaning a saving in time and energy.
FLASH is not just a name. It’s a guarantee. You will be amazed at how efficient it is. Cooking time is reduced and food quality improved. Lower temperatures can be used to retain moisture and preserve flavours and texture with less chance of burnt food.
This method of heating the FlashGRILL results in lower kw loadings when compared to other griddles in the market, resulting in up to 70% saving in energy. There are 19 models in the range, 16 of which can be run on either single phase or three phase (needs to be specified when ordering), the other three griddles are dedicated to three phase. The 5 smallest griddles have a kW rating of only 2.7 and can work off 13A plugs.
The FlashGRILLs carry a comprehensive 5 years parts and labour warranty.
For more information on how the FlashGRILL can add value to your kitchen team contact David Jenkins at MCS Technical Products: davidj@mcstechproducts.co.uk
Chef of the Week: Keita Sato, Executive Head Sushi Chef at Chotto Matte in London
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I’ve been at Chotto Matte Soho for 10 years, since the very beginning!
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My father took me out fishing on the river in Japan from a young age, it was that which sparked my initial interest in the industry. He taught me traditional Japanese cooking techniques, before I went on to refine my skills working at many great restaurants, including Sushi Den Kihara in Japan and London’s Nobu.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Putting a smile on guest’s faces! Genuine customer satisfaction is the goal. I also love watching art come to life in the form of sushi.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt – it’s fundamental for enhancing and balancing flavours.
Oil – key for bringing everything together, adding moisture and adding shine and crisp.
Kombu – a traditional Japanese ingredient.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Yanagi – a unique and special Japanese knife influenced by the original katana sword, the precision is unlike any other!
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Crispy sushi is becoming increasingly popular – we also serve a vegan version too! A small bite size is the best.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Poor time management, timing is everything! Also, not rushing the dishes – making sure everything is exactly how it should be before it leaves the counter is key to the guest experience.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Autumn, say September to November. In Britain in particular, the seafood produce is much fresher. The Dover sole’s bigger, so on and so forth.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I am so proud of the Sato Maki, our iconic sushi roll that has my name on it. It’s flamed at the table for theatrical value, it’s known worldwide and is served as a staple in all of our Chotto Matte restaurants. More recently, I’m also proud of our Dragon roll and new Tiger roll!
How do you come up with new dishes?
It’s a lot of experimenting and taking inspiration from visiting different locations. It’s a lot of working collaboratively with founder Kurt Zdesar and Executive Head Chef Jordan Sclare on creating and innovating recipes to find what works.
Who was your greatest influence?
The master chef when I was working in my hometown of Hakodate, I learnt so many fundamentals from him and I was in awe of how inspired he was by his passion. I will visit him when I travel to Japan this summer.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Ferran Adria, Jiro Ono and Nobu Matsuhisa.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Sushi Jiro Gastronomy by Jiro Ono. It’s a journey on the traditional basics of what it means to be a sushi chef, and takes me back to the original generation of sushi-making techniques.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I have to say, it’s Chotto Matte Doha. Both the design and the ambience are incredible, from the cave-inspired private dining room, to the outdoor terrace. It was also amazing to be over there and experience the magic of it all coming together.
The Joy of Real Induction for Serious Chefs
We can’t wait for our summer season of food exhibitions and events to really heat-up!
We are overjoyed that MCS Technical Products has given us two market-leading CookTek induction hobs for our chefs to explore on The Chefs’ Forum demo stage.
It’s a big deal. CookTek is industry standard. That means 94% efficiency, a five-year warranty and all parts manufactured in-house. Everything is built in the Dallas factory. CookTek don’t ‘buy in’ boards and coils and their units can be found in the leading kitchens of every sector.
Steve Snow, MD of MCS Technical Products said
“I’m very proud to have been the exclusive distributer for CookTek in the UK and Ireland for the last twenty-three years. I view the CookTek range to be the very best on the market and our customer feedback from top chefs backs this up. It is very important that top chefs have access to market-leading equipment that is powerful and controllable, to achieve the excellent results that high profile chefs demand.”
One fan of CookTek is Cyrus Todiwala. He’s been using a CookTek Wok and induction unit for 15 years. At one point he had 11 CookTek hobs in various establishments. Cyrus has always supported MSC Technical Products and CookTek in his restaurants, he said
“I think they’re the best, they are so solid and are definitely built to last. They have withstood heavy use in my busy kitchens. They are so easy to use and super-efficient, too. They are quick to reach temperature and easy to clean.”
TV Pastry Judge Benoit Blin echoes Cyrus’ comments, he has installed CookTek induction in his world-class pastry kitchens at Le Manoir aux Quat’Seasons, A Belmond Hotel in Oxfordshire, he said
“CookTek induction is an integral part of my kitchen. They are extremely versatile and facilitate ultra-precise cooking. The fact that we’ve had them for 19 years, is a real testament to their solid manufacturing – It is long lasting, quality equipment like this that we need in our kitchens.”
The first CookTek Heritage hobs were installed at Le Manoir 19 years ago and more have been installed over the years, most recently CookTek Appogee hobs for the pastry kitchen, these hobs are extremely controllable to 100 different heat settings, perfect for pastry chefs where precision is key.
CookTek are induction specialists. They are a global brand based in Dallas USA and they only design and manufacture heavy duty induction for commercial use. Reliability and usability are top priorities.
These are the key differences and the main reasons our chefs are so excited to be working with CookTek.
SEE THE DIFFERENCE…
FAST FACTS ON COOKTEK INDUCTION
- Cooktek use a self-oscillating inverter, which requires more sophisticated hardware and software, but results in fast power transfer which is very controllable, just like a gas hob.
- CookTek makes their own induction coils with high quality copper Litz wire to give maximum power transfer to the pan and very even heat spread across the pan surface.
- CookTek use higher grade electronic components compared to most others and pay particular attention to air circulation and cooling – the benefit is a 5 year warranty.
- CookTek are the only induction hobs approved by the Craft Guild of Chefs due to their fast power, controllability, even heat spread and robust construction.
THE BENEFITS ON COOKING WITH COOKTEK INDUCTION
- Faster – induction heats the pan directly
- Safer – no flames, hot coil or other radiant heat source
- Cleaner – because the glass surface remains cools, spills don’t burn on – cleaning takes seconds
- Cooler – no flame or radiant heat means a cooler cooking environment – heat the food, not the kitchen
- Cheaper in cost of life– CookTek induction is over 90% efficient, gas is only 30% to 50% efficient, so with CookTek nearly all your energy £ heats the pan, with gas up to 70% heats the kitchen!
- Controllable– Far more controllable than gas hobs, the Appogee hobs have 1-100 control points, the most controllable and durable on the market.
Please enjoy looking through the CookTek pages on www.mcstechproducts.co.uk. and viewing the short videos showing the CookTek advantage.
Chef of the Week: Maurizio Bocchi, Chef Patron of La Locanda in Lancashire
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have owned La Locanda for 20 years.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My mother was a great cook and having a farming background myself a passion for ingredients and cooking developed year after year I learned from different chefs but must is because I am a curious person and insatiable of knowledge
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
The seasonality of different ingredient every year is different every dish become a new challenge and the direct relationship with producer
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Extra virgin olive oil ,extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil!
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
The oven.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Extra virgin olive oil in cooking as an ingredient not just a condiment.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Taking short cuts.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Autumn, because there are a lot of foraged produce gowning and game is plentiful.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
My handmade pasta.
How do you come up with new dishes?
The seasonality of the ingredient gives me the inspiration and memory, I strongly believe every dish need to have a story behind it.
Who was your greatest influence?
My grandmother.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Bruno Barbieri, Antonino Cannavacciuolo and Marco Sacco.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Any cookbook with regional Italian recipes.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Me!
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I have not visited any new restaurants in the last year, yet!
London’s Raheem Morgan Wins National School Chef of The Year
Lewisham Chef Raheem Morgan has beaten off competition from around the UK to become the 2023 School Chef of The Year (SCOTY).
It’s his fourth time in the competition, with runner-up positions in both 2021 and 2022.
He cooked an Asian crispy fishcake with edamame bean and miso puree, served with a wasabi mayonnaise and crispy garnish. His dessert was a deconstructed lemon cheesecake with apple and basil gel, apple crisp, cherry compote and egg white meringue.
The dishes have been enjoyed by children at Torridon Primary School, Lewisham, where he has been the Unit Manager and Head Chef for two years.
He said: “I try to incorporate spices into the dishes and find that the children are open to trying them – and really enjoy them when they do. They see the teachers eating new flavours in the food I cook for them and do the same – they aren’t scared to try. I’m always trying to sneak veg into the main courses to add to the nutrition, but also to desserts too, like beetroot chocolate brownies!”
Before coming to school catering, completely by accident, Raheem worked with Tom Aikens, and held positions of commis, demi and chef de partie at Hotel Café Royale, Park Plaza Hotel and The Ivy, Sloane Square.
Looking for a new job after a year out, Raheem was sent details from Chartwells and despite not knowing anything about school catering, he applied and by the end of the interview, was convinced that it was the right move – and he hasn’t looked back.
The 29-year-old’s love of food started when he was around nine years old, cooking Jamaican food with his mum, before following it through school in food tech and into hotels.
Raheem won last year’s Grab ‘n’ Go at SCOTY – a challenge to create a healthy on the go snack. He made Loaded Quorn Corn Savoury Waffle – a spicy savoury waffle topped with avocado, tomato and crème fraiche inspired by a traditional Jamaican corn fritter.
He said: “It means the world to win – I’m on cloud 9! I’ve been used to coming second and third but this year it’s me who’s won and I’m so happy. I’ve put so much time and effort into it and so to win is not only great for me but for my brilliant team at school and Chartwells too. Both have supported me with the dish creation, tasting, giving feedback and stepping in while I had time away from school for the competition.
I want to thank my team at school, Chartwells who have been amazing but also LACA – I love everything they stand for and the work they are doing in the school catering sector is amazing and hugely important in changing the quality of school food but also the perception – there’s no chance of lumpy custard anymore!
The competition has helped me to grow so much and it will springboard me as it did last year when I won the Grab ‘n’ Go. After that, we held cookery workshops for the kids and they really enjoyed making the food and trying it all out.”
He plans to spend some of the £1000 winnings on taking his school team out to say thank you for their help.
Second place was Jennifer Brown, from Sarum Academy, Salisbury, Wiltshire, representing the South West region and James Noakes from Maidstone Grammar School, Maidstone, Kent, representing the South East region.
Head judge Louise Wagstaffe from Premier Foods, said: “It’s been a tough year to judge because we’ve seen amazing standards and very high level skills.
“We’ve seen a great use of ingredients on a tight budget and it’s been lovely to see so many different dishes created from the same ingredients from the Bisto brand, with each chef’s own inspiration and influences in their design. Lots of healthy fruit and vegetables have been used – a healthy plate is a part of the judging criteria.
These chefs have a massive influence on the food out children are eating and to see such great tasting food full of nutrition and innovation has been brilliant. There are some fantastic, scalable ideas here which we will be sharing with our schools.”
Sarah Robb, foodservice marketing manager at Premier Foods, added: “It’s so important to support the education catering industry which is what this competition is all about – showcasing the amazing talent in the industry – our chefs have been cooking amazing food. School meals are so important for children to eat and socialise together, but also to try different foods together.
School chefs have so much influence on the children they cook for to show them new food, give them the opportunity to try new flavours and really understand nutrition and healthy eating. The school catering industry has changed so much – the standard at SCOTY has well and truly shown that.”
The SCOTY competition aims to show the high quality of school meals and the contribution they make to the health and wellbeing of children.
The 11 finalists, who had competed at regional heats across the country, were judged on the use of Premier Foods products, working practices in the kitchen, creativity, appearance, taste and flavour. They had just 1h 30 minutes to create four portions of their two-course menu.
