Calling All Hotel Chefs – Rational Demonstrates How New Technology Can Transform Your Kitchen!

Rational is continuing its campaign of bringing new technology news to kitchens coming out of lockdown. This month, with The Chefs’ Forum, the focus switches to hotels.

Rational has inked in a series of online events to demonstrate how new technology can transform a kitchen making multiple cooking operations quicker, faster and more consistent.

With a premium on saving time and money hotel chefs can learn about how this new technology and speed can change workflows and kitchen layouts without dampening creativity.

Adam Knights, UK Marketing Director at Rational said

 “We were very pleased with the way pub chefs took to our events last month and we are very much enjoying sharing our expertise with hotel chefs this month – There has been a very pleasing level of interest so far. There is so much opportunity at the moment with businesses returning to completely rethink the ways their kitchens work. And we at Rational are here to help and offer guidance and solutions.”

Catherine Farinha said: “The feedback from last month’s Pubs Live online webinars with Rational was outstanding and we are really excited to see how hotel chefs embrace the future. Make sure you book your place to experience the Rational cooking systems in use. See for yourself, the intelligent functions and how your chefs can work with them. The sessions last 45 minutes and are a great opportunity to catch-up with the latest technology and menu trends for the hotels sector.”

 

 

Event Dates:

  • Tuesday 20th April – 2.30-3.30pm
  • Thursday 22nd April – 10-11am
  • Monday 26th April – 10-11am

To celebrate the launch of the Hotels Live online programme, Rational is offering a £1,174 free Rational iVario Pro accessory pack when you purchase a Rational cooking system following your attendance at a Rational Hotels Live online event.

CLICK HERE for more information on the iVario Pro and the iCombi Pro ConnectedCooking System.

To book your FREE place please email rebecca@redcherry.uk.com

Lecture to Celebrate 100th Birthday of Culinary Legend Ron Kinton

Westminster Kingsway College and the Institute of Hospitality are to host a lecture to celebrate the 100th birthday of culinary legend Ron Kinton.

The Ron Kinton Anniversary Lecture is being held in recognition of the chef, author and educationist’s huge influence on the catering profession and his lifetime of dedication to the industry. The lecture, which is to be an annual event, will feature inspirational talks from leading industry figures including alumni from the college’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

It will be streamed live online from the college’s Victoria Centre on Wednesday, 28 April at 3pm.

Ron Kinton, who turned 100 in January, recognised along with fellow chef Victor Cesarani that there was a need for a dedicated cookery book for catering students.

Writing everything in longhand, they would go on to produce the first 10 editions of Practical Cookery and the first 11 editions of The Theory of Catering, with later volumes being co-written by Professor David Foskett FIH, a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.

Both books are widely regarded by the industry as culinary bibles and are still used by catering students throughout the world.

Kinton is also the co-author of several other leading textbooks including Advanced Practical Cookery, Contemporary Cookery, Kitchen & Larder Work and Patisserie & Confectionery.

Ron Kinton trained at the college, then Westminster Technical Institute, in 1936 and began his culinary career at the Waldorf Hotel and Claridge’s. He joined the Army Catering Corps at the outbreak of the Second World War, working his way up to the rank of Sergeant Instructor at the Army Catering School of Cookery.

After the war, he returned to Claridge’s and then worked in catering for industrial giant ICI. He then trained to become a teacher and was one of the founding members of Acton Hotel School, which would later move to a new location and become Ealing School of Hotel Keeping and Catering, and subsequently the University of West London. In 1978 he graduated with a BEd (Hons) from Garnett College.

Speaking at the first lecture will be Wendy Bartlett MBE FIH, founder of contract caterer Bartlett Mitchell; Frederick Forster, is head chef of Read’s restaurant in Faversham, and Sal Gowili FIH and John Williams MBE, general manager and executive chef of The Ritz London, respectively.

Gary Hunter FIH, interim principal of Westminster Kingsway College, said: “Ron Kinton’s story is still hugely inspirational and just shows where a career in hospitality can take you.

“The fact students here at WestKing and around the world still use The Theory of Catering as part of their learning, is testament to how influential he has been in education and how respected he remains within the industry.

“Ron’s work has had an impact on so many, which is why we and our good friends at the Institute of Hospitality wanted to celebrate his life, passion and commitment in this way.”

Peter Ducker FIH, outgoing chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality, said, “The Institute of Hospitality is delighted to be launching the inaugural Ron Kinton Anniversary Lecture with Westminster Kingsway College.

“Ron started training for his career at Westminster Technical Institute aged 15. I picture him then, when he could not have thought in his wildest dreams where his career would take him, or what a massive impact he would have on future generations. I read his book The Theory of Catering as a student in the 1970s and it’s still in print today.

“I hope that Ron’s remarkable story, and the amazing journeys our speakers at this event have had, will strike a chord with students today and inspire them. I love the thought that perhaps many decades from now a student, inspired by our speakers and Ron’s example, will be celebrated in a similar way.”

Click here to book your ticket for the Ron Kinton Anniversary Lecture or visit https://www.instituteofhospitality.org/event/ronald-kinton-anniversary-lecture/

Field to Fork Meets Fleece to Fabric

The image of the traditional chef is one of the white jacket and the ‘toque blanche’ chef’s hat, but these days chefs are very likely to be growing their own ingredients, and to be found in their kitchen garden digging up the organic veg, sporting a handwoven, handmade tweed cap, with a provenance as sound and sure as any locally sourced sustainable game in their kitchen larder.

Meet the new wave of tweed-cap-wearing chefs!

Glynn Purnell of Michelin-starred Purnell’s Restaurant in Birmingham, didn’t need to be asked twice about his love of caps, especially the tweed look: “To be the part is to look the part,” he told The Chefs’ Forum. “Sussex Tweed’s beautiful handwoven tweed caps are the perfect finishing touch to that quintessentially British look.”

John Williams MBE, Executive Chef at The Ritz in London, is a classic chef to the core, and also a fan of the provenance of these hand-woven, handmade tweed caps.
“There’s something very British about tweed and it’s a style I love. It’s just so comfortable and I love a good cap!” said Williams.

Scott Goss, Head Chef of Michelin recommended test kitchen The Twenty Six in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and executive chef at nearby The Beacon and The Swan in Chapel Down, was so taken with his Sussex Tweed cap, that he had to have one of their kids’ caps for his baby daughter in a green Prince of Wales check. “Outstanding craftsmanship, refined attention to detail. It’s the perfect outdoor garment or intercity style,” Goss said.

Will Devlin, owner and Head Chef of The Small Holding in Kent and The Curlew in East Sussex opined: “Sussex Tweed share the same values as us: sustainability, accountability and the use of the finest local products to make something truly wonderful. I pick up my Sussex Tweed cap, and you can tell it’s been made with attention to detail – it’s the best cap I’ve ever had, it just feels right”.

Jonathan Kelly, owner of Sussex Tweed is convinced both cooking and weaving are related: “The parallels between the kitchen and the weaving shed are very real. Each involve linear processes, and both are highly dependent on nature and the seasons. With craft, skill, and sheer physical effort required to bring a menu to fruition, or a handwoven tweed cap to market, cooking and weaving are truly labours of love. And in common with Will, Scott, Glynn and John we have a simple ethos: focus on the customer, pay attention to the details and aim to get the best product out there”.

Local is now the way forward, whether it’s choosing the freshest, finest foodstuffs, or sustainably produced handwoven tweed with a low-carbon footprint. So, get clapping for these food heroes, and get capping for proper ‘Made in England’ quality tweed caps, but make sure they’re from Sussex Tweed!

Sussex Tweed would like to like to let chefs know that there is a half price sale on the site until the end of May 2021, so get involved and satisfy your need for tweed!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE SOME FINE SUSSEX TWEED

 

The Next Generation of Pastry Chefs Being Nurtured Through The Chefs’ Forum

The Chefs’ Forum is proud to announce a brand-new pastry event for aspiring student chefs: ‘The 2021 Young Pastry Chef of the Year Competition’.

The event, spearheaded by Jamie Houghton of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and President of the UK Pastry Team, will see Jamie team up with Neil Rippington, Director of Education at The Chefs’ Forum, to design an engaging, experiential and rewarding competition to inspire students after a very difficult time during the last year.

Jamie said: “This competition presents a great opportunity for students to test their creativity in a pressurised environment as this replicates a realistic working atmosphere. To create a high-quality product in a time constrained conditions will provide students with an insight of the challenges of work in a top professional kitchen.”

Neil continued to say: “The development of pastry chefs in the UK is suffering at grass roots level. There are simply not enough aspiring young chefs wanting to develop the skills and knowledge required to become a great pastry chef, and this is leaving the industry short of talent it requires. There seems to be an insufficient number of opportunities nationally to promote this fantastic vocation.

This is doubly frustrating as the sector is booming with the innovation and creativity, yet restaurants and hotels are struggling to recruit chefs with the high-level skills required. For this reason, we are very excited and inspired to be shining a light on this important work.”

An expert panel has been formed to judge ‘The Entremet Challenge’ testing the skills of students from across the UK, who will be competing to produce the ultimate entremet. The top three finalists will receive a rotational stage in the judge’s kitchens, a brilliant prize for any student chef wishing to experience a pastry kitchen operating at the highest level. Other exciting prizes will be confirmed in due course.

Judges confirmed are:

  • Jamie Houghton – Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and President of the UK Pastry Team
  • Luke Frost – L’Ecole Valrhona
  • Chris Underwood – Belmond Cadogan Hotel
  • Thibault Hauchard- Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
  • Michael Kwan – Hotel Café Royal
  • Daniel Pearse – The Savoy

Photo credit: Harry Elletson

Judge, Daniel Pearse, Executive Pastry Chef at the iconic Savoy Hotel said “The industry needs to offer a greater level of support to our colleges.  Historically we have taken a lot of chefs from the continent, however with Brexit now being a huge factor affecting this corridor, it is now more important than ever that we support UK colleges in nurturing and supporting our home-grown talent.

It will be great to work with my fellow judges to share the talent discovered through this competition, moving the talented students around between top pastry kitchens, learning from the very best in the business, this will help them to become them well-rounded experts in the pastry field.”

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, added “The value of this opportunity cannot be underestimated. The chef judges represent the cream of the crop of British pastry and time spent in their kitchens can only be seen as a remarkable chance to be taught by the experts.”

Prizes confirmed, so far are:

The Chefs’ Forum Young Pastry Chef of the Year 2021 competition is open to students on culinary programmes at level 2 and 3, and the students must be aged between 16 and 21 years old at the point of entry. The competition will be based on two heats, with the final being judged live in London at West London College on Tuesday 15th June. Details of how to enter will be released shortly.

Any colleges wishing to register their interest please email alexandra@redcherry.uk.com

 

 

 

Neil Rippington Joins The Chefs’ Forum as Director of Education

The Chefs’ Forum is delighted to announce that Neil Rippington has accepted the permanent position of Director of Education for The Chefs’ Forum. As an organisation we are able to offer consultancy and support on a wide range of College and University projects through The Chefs’ Forum and The Chefs’ Forum Academy network of colleges.

Neil has spent the last twenty-seven years in the education sector, lecturing at various UK colleges including South Essex College, Redbridge College, Colchester Institute and most recently for the past ten years as Dean of The College of Food and Hospitality Management at University College Birmingham.

Neil has supported many colleges in the UK, providing colleges with consultation and advice. Neil currently sits on on the Route Panel for Apprenticeships and T-Levels in Hospitality and Catering for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. As well as publishing many books on hospitality and catering, Neil is also a subject matter expert for Ofqual and City and Guilds. Neil has recently co-created a programme in ‘Culinary Psychology’, which he is delivering virtually at Harvard University, USA.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Neil to the team and look forward to working with our colleges to galvanise and support teaching teams in UK catering colleges.

Here are some of the services offered, but bespoke support and specialist projects will be considered on an individual basis.

■ Curriculum quality audits – a critical-friend style review, rather than graded and published through a reward recognition, e.g., Gold, Silver, Bronze (as some organisations do)

■ In addition to the above, preparing for inspection, interpreting the Education Inspection Framework and providing evidence of impact

■ In addition to the above, lesson observations from a specialist view across levels 1 to 7 (FE to HE)

■ Lesson planning with differentiation in mind, personalising the curriculum, developing strategies for stretch and challenge

■ HE curriculum development across Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, Patisserie, Food Science/New Product Development

■ Validation preparation – submitting new or revised programme proposals, gathering the required data and evidence of need. Establishing panel members, external experts, etc

■ International Student Recruitment, particularly in HE markets

■ FE curriculum development, in line with industry trends, future skills needs and recovery strategies/opportunities. For example:
■ An introduction to T-Levels and their implementation within the curriculum
■ Financial awareness – costing, budgeting, performance analysis, menu engineering
■ Personal contribution to a business and the wider skills, knowledge and behaviours desired by employers
■ Current and ongoing developments in issues concerning sustainability – waste, purchasing considerations, seasonality, ethical practices, energy use, etc
■ Technology and electronic communications, including social media and responsibility
■ Maths and English and its importance to the development of the industry

■ Analysis of staffing structures and planning for future operational needs

■ Resource planning – new build projects, equipment requirements, technology requirements, operations

■ Quarterly or bi-annual seminars for the Chefs’ Forum Academies to share best practice

■ Marketing strategy and communication for the hospitality and catering department and project management of new college restaurant launches or relaunches

■ Bespoke CPD sessions and short courses for college lecturers

■ Film making to promote the hospitality department within the college

■ Website design

■ Graphic design and copywriting

■ Social media training

Contact Catherine Farinha for a free consultation to discuss your requirements:
E: catherine@redcherry.uk.com
T: 07585 700030

BBQ Time at The Dorchester

The new rooftop restaurant opening-up at The Dorchester this week will feature Kamado Joe Ceramic Grills and Oxford Charcoal in a first for The Chefs’ Forum.

The Dorchester Rooftop, spearheaded by Dorchester chefs Mario Perera, John-Phillipe Blondet and Tom Booton, will welcome its first guests from Monday, 12 April. Guests will be able to taste a delicious rooftop menu cooked by chefs on special ceramic Kamado Joe grills, using both the hardwood blend and ethical hardwood blends of locally-sourced kiln-fired charcoal provided by Oxford Charcoal. View the menus here and here.

Mario Perera, Executive Chef at The Dorchester told The Chefs’ Forum:

“Hyde Park is at its most beautiful this time of year, so it’s a perfect time to unveil our new rooftop restaurant, commanding stunning views from the top of the hotel.”

The hotel is planning to open the rooftop throughout the spring and summer and will host  live music and a series of al fresco culinary pop-ups led by my culinary team and I, featuring a British summertime menu by Tom Booton and modern and informal French dining by Jean-Philippe Blondet.”

Serena, Business Development Manager at Oxford Charcoal added

“We are excited and extremely pleased to be joining The Chefs’ Forum in sponsoring the BBQs for the opening week of The Dorchester Rooftop.  The chefs will be using both our British Hardwood Blend and our Ethical hardwood blend, that are both restaurant grade charcoal and will enable the chefs to enjoy a consistent and high-quality burn throughout their daily busy service.”

Catherine Farinha said:

“It’s great to be able to support our friends at The Dorchester in this way. Our Kamado Joe BBQs are often the very popular focal point at our chef networking events and it’s great to be able to show them off at such a prestigious hotel.  We are delighted to be working closely with The Dorchester to showcase them as a fantastic employer to our network of catering colleges and are honored to have such esteemed chefs  creating delicious live-fire dishes on the grills for their guests throughout the summer.”

The Chefs’ Forum is looking forward to hosting a virtual employer engagement event next week, on the 20th April, which will see nearly 200 hospitality and catering students from five catering colleges join a Zoom event to explore career opportunities at The Dorchester Collection of hotels in the UK, including The Dorchester, Park Lane and Coworth Park in Ascot.

The Dorchester chefs, F&B, Front of House, Housekeeping and Floristry teams will give a series of live talks and demos via Zoom to give the students a real feel for what it is like to work at such a high-end operation and most importantly, how they could go about applying to work at The Dorchester Collection.

Koppert Cress Announces Dart Fresh as South West Distributor

Koppert Cress is the world’s leading grower in terms of horticulture and microgreens. Its history dates back to 1987 and it has now become the market-leading supplier of cresses and micro greens to chefs across the globe.   Established in 1957, Dart Fresh has developed into the leading foodservice supplier in the South West and has just launched a fresh fish arm to the business, as well as a state-of-the-art butchery unit onsite creating a ‘One Stop Shop for Chefs’.

Dart Fresh customers come from all aspects of the foodservice and hospitality sectors. No other foodservice business in the south west boasts such a broad and varied customer base.  This is why Koppert Cress is truly delighted to be joining forces with such a prolific foodservice business to educate and train chefs in menu development and the versatility of its micro greens, cresses and their use as an ingredient in the dish as opposed to a garnish.

John Pritchard, Director at Dart Fresh, is delighted with the announcement that comes just in time for the reopening of restaurants, pubs and hotels, he says:

“Ongoing education for professional chefs is imperative and menu development can be enhanced by innovative food pairings and cress being used as ingredients as opposed to ‘just a garnish’. This is great news all round and I look forward to adding value to chefs’ knowledge in micro greens and cresses with Koppert and adding the eighty varieties of microgreens, cresses, specialities, leaves, blossoms and flowers to our existing range of over 3000 products.  Chefs can now look forward to being able to order Koppert Cress along with their fruit, veg, specialist ingredients, dry goods, fresh fish and locally-reared meat expertly processed in our new butchery unit.”

Through working with chefs on a global level, it is apparent that there is a lack of education and training in this area and Koppert Cress intends to work with Dart Fresh to bridge this knowledge gap; Who better to do it than those who understand the qualities, varieties and potential of the many fantastic products grown by the market-leading cress producer.

To this end, Dart Fresh will be inviting chefs to their Exeter based headquarters for menu development days with Koppert Cress, pairing it with the fabulous range of fresh produce on offer.

Paul Da Costa Greaves, Koppert Cress UK-UAE Culinary Countries Manager said

“As a Chef ‘new boy from London’ arriving in Devon in the late 1990’s, l have had a long-standing relationship with John and Dart Fresh dating back to when he used to supply my restaurant in Topsham, near Dart Fresh HQ in Exeter HQ.  I asked John for Koppert Cress and he organised supply for me, always going the extra mile if I asked for specialist ingredients.

Paramount in my kitchen were the values of quality, reliability, consistency and availability and I always got that from Dart Fresh. The tables have now turned and I am delighted to now be supplying John at Dart Fresh with the Koppert Cress range, so that chefs across the south west can benefit in being able to get the market-leading microgreens and cress.

We will offer every Dart Fresh customer an educational brochure explaining in great depth the difference between Microgreens and Cress and their very own personal Cressperience to pair our cresses with their menus. This free, perfect-bound manual achieves a combination of theory and practical understanding and food pairing combinations”.

A hard copy of the Koppert Cress Microgreens Manual is now available at Dart Fresh.

Socially distanced ‘Cressperience’ individual chef taster days showcasing the range of Koppert Cress are already taking place at Dart Fresh and this month will see a focus on fresh fish and shellfish.

Koppert Cress has an impressive range of produce that perfectly compliment fish.

Dart Fresh is a One Stop Shop for Chefs…

Olivier Certain, of The Michelin-starred Masons Arms at Knowstone, is very much looking forward to attending Dart Fresh at the end of this month for a day of socially-distanced menu development, he said

“I really enjoy using Koppert Cress as an ingredient, not just a garnish.  I will be doing a signature dish of Blue Sea Crab, Pea Risotto with Koppert Cress Sea Fennel, Oyster Leaves, Shisho Green, Salty Fingers and the newly launched Moai Caviar or sea grapes  – It’s great news that we can now get Koppert Cress from Dart Fresh!”

Koppert Cress has received great feedback from the chefs and fresh produce suppliers who have attended similar days at Dart Fresh so far – last month it was Dartmoor Beef and Lamb and the December session focused on Indian Gastronomy with celebrity chef Dipna Anand.

While showcasing the fabulous range of produce available at Dart Fresh, menu development days highlight the benefits of using and eating microgreens, flavour profiles, food pairings, as well as recipe suggestions whilst actually tasting the products alongside freshly cooked food to have the 3D experience of how the flavours can change or enhance your menu offering.

If you’re not based in the South West and can’t make it along to visit Dart Fresh HQ in Exeter for a personal Cressperience, then an electronic version of the Koppert Cress manual is also available. For further information please contact Paul Da Costa Greaves at paul@koppertcress.com

Photography credit: John Blackwell

Sheffield College Student Triumphs at Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021!

Tilda is thrilled to announce that Oliver Herrington from Sheffield College has won the Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge Award 2021, with his Nagasaki Ramen Pork-Belly and Handmade Tilda Basmati Rice Noodles.

Zest Quest Asia founders Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala welcomed the student chef to the Tilda winner’s circle in this, the 8th year of Zest Quest Asia.

Mentored by Chef Lecturer Andrew Gabbitas, Oliver prepared a Nagasaki Ramen-marinated Glazed Pork Belly served with langoustine, mussels and kamaboko, fried wood ear mushrooms with garlic & ginger broth, and handmade basmati rice noodles. The Sheffield College student said that he had been inspired by a Japanese dish created in 1899. The judges felt the dish went ‘above and beyond every part of the criteria’ with its creativity, good flavour, texture and skill.

As the winner of the virtual spin-off, Oliver and Sheffield College will enjoy an exclusive Masterclass with Cyrus Todiwala, trophy, chef knives and jacket, alongside plenty of Tilda goodies for the kitchen!

The award for ‘Best Use of Rice’ went to Killoran Wills from University College Birmingham who especially impressed the panel with her Coconut & Lime Rice Cream using Tilda Basmati Rice, served on a Cardamom & Cumin Jasmine Rice Sponge with sesame seed tuile and mango compote & coulis.

The nationwide, thrilling final was judged by Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala, Murray Chapman, Steve Munkley as well as Jo Witchell from Tilda Foodservice.

Tasting judges were on hand to guide the panel and included guest chefs, Mark Poynton from MJP Restaurant, Graeme Watson Vice Chairman – Master Chefs of Great Britain, Steve Bennett from Healing Manor, Adam Lestrelle from Roehampton Club, Chris Hanson from Blend Kitchen, Willie Pike – Chef Consultant, John Jackaman from Infusions4Chefs, Douglas Jordan – Chairman NECTA, Nick Claxton-Webb from Adnams, Jasbir Dawar from Chefi and Hilton T5, along with Tilda’s very own Simon Hall, Luke Dalley and Gareth Jones.

Annette Coggins, Head of Foodservice, Tilda UK said of the winners:

“This year’s competition was tougher than ever before, with the chefs creating a diverse range of dishes and executing each one to the highest quality. At Tilda we pride ourselves on innovation and the versatility of our rice products and that’s why Oliver took the trophy this year. We do want to say that we consider everyone who got to this final stage as a winner, so we extend our thanks and congratulations to all the finalists”.

The competition is headline sponsored by Tilda Foodservice who, in collaboration with the Todiwalas, hope to inspire student chefs across the UK to consider Asian cookery as a future career by recognising outstanding talent, knowledge and understanding of the cuisine. Together they hope to place classical Asian cookery firmly on the curriculum, as well as build on the skills needed for future chefs to succeed in the Asian food industry.

Cyrus Todiwala said, “This was one of the toughest competitions to judge in a long time. Each and every finalist wowed the judges with their sheer effort and talent, so regardless of there being only a few named winners, everyone deserves a pat on the back for a great job done.

“Oliver is a worthy Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge champion. His winning dish was outstanding on so many levels and reflected everything this competition was about – his fantastic use of Tilda rice, the research he undertook to learn more about an Asian culture and its cuisines, and the talent and ambition he displayed in creating and executing a superb award-winning dish.

“Pervin, myself, our director Murray and all the Zest Quest Asia team are grateful to Tilda Foodservice for the commitment and resources they’ve poured into the Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021. It’s unbelievably rewarding to see that our passion to ensure student chefs develop skills and knowledge in Asian cuisine is also shared by college lecturers up and down the country, as well as the tasting judges who shared their expertise with us.”

This year’s winners were revealed virtually due to Covid-19 regulations but that didn’t dampen the spirit of any of the incredibly talented entrants. Due to the competition’s growing popularity and the sheer quality of applications the original format of six entrants were doubled to allow for twelve. Entrants took inspiration from today’s hottest food trends from plant-based to one pot recipes and created recipes that are authentic, flavourful and celebrate the best of regional Asian cuisine.

Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala founded Zest Quest Asia in collaboration with the Master Chefs of Great Britain, and Tilda has been a proud sponsor since its launch eight years ago. Zest Quest Asia Tilda Challenge 2021 couldn’t have happened without the support of Richie Carter from MK College, A Passion to Inspire, Chefi, Russums Catering, Master Chefs of GB, and MSC Seafood.

To recognise as many students as possible, all entries to the competition were reviewed by MSC Seafood, who awarded Ben Addy from Sheffield College first place in a special Best Use of Fish prize, designed to encourage the next generation of chefs to think about sourcing and cooking with sustainable fish.

Craft Guild of Chefs Launch 2021 British Student Culinary Championships

Students across Britain are being encouraged to enter the Craft Guild of Chefs’ prestigious cookery competition, the British Student Culinary Championships (BSCC).

One of the UK’s largest live culinary competitions, the event will take place over two days at Central Bedfordshire College between 26th and 27th October 2021.

The competition was re-branded from Wessex Salon Culinaire in 2020 and retains its long heritage and importance as a key platform for student chefs to gain their first taste of competitive cooking.

Andrew Green, Craft Guild of Chefs CEO comments:

“It’s fantastic to welcome back the British Student Culinary Championships, which is the largest student-based catering competition in the country. The Guild has always been at the forefront of developing and nurturing chef talent and this championship is an important step in that process for our young chefs.”

Competition Director Steve Scuffell adds:

“Now in its 23rd year, the championships are back with live and static categories, and a brand-new food photography class. We know how much these competitions mean to students, and how much they can help in developing career opportunities, so I am delighted we are able to run the event this year.”

The championships include several classes which are judged independently with standards of Gold, Silver and Bronze awarded to those that reach the relevant specification.

Categories and entry forms will be available shortly on the Craft Guild of Chefs’ website www.craftguildofchefs.org/competitions

Rational’s Package to Help Chefs Adjust to the New Normal

From advice on alternative ingredients to online training, Rational offers comprehensive support.

As the hospitality industry comes out of lockdown it will have to cope with the new normal.  In kitchens that could mean the need to develop new menus that are compatible with considerations such as fewer staff, social distancing, ingredients shortages and different opening hours.   Similarly, operators are going to be even more conscious of budgeting and will be looking at ways to save time, energy and running costs.

Rational, the leading manufacturer in thermal cooking solutions, has put in place a support package to give operators some practical help as they get their businesses running successfully again.  “Customers are at the heart of our business, and we are looking forward to further supporting them as the new normal returns,” says Adam Knights, marketing director at Rational UK. “With the prospect of staycations, and the easing of restrictions, the industry is hoping for, and preparing for, a really busy summer – and beyond.  We’re here to help in any way we can.”

Rational’s focus is on training and menu development and includes:

Chef support – Rational has an extended team of over thirty chefs nationwide who can offer a variety of different levels of support, from answering simple questions (a recent example was, ‘what’s the best way to dry fruit in a combi steamer?’) to helping develop and roll out new menus across an estate.  They are increasingly asked about alternative approaches – ingredients shortages, the demand for sustainable sourcing and rising costs are leading to operators looking for alternative foods.  This is an area where Rational chefs have a wealth of expertise.  For example, slow cooking can allow chefs to use cheaper cuts of meat and achieve top quality results.  Similarly, the team at Rational has advised on alternative and sustainably sourced types of fish, and suggested ways to prepare them in the iCombi Pro and the iVario cooking system.

New recipe programmes – Rational experts are working with customers to develop and create bespoke programmes for specific recipes for the iCombi Pro and the iVario cooking systems.  For example, one of the food trends the company expects to keep growing post lockdown is the interest in Korean cuisine.  Already Rational experts have helped various customers to program their cooking systems with a variety of Korean specialities.

The Rational UK Training App – the company’s UK-specific app has recipes and ‘how to’ videos, so that chefs and their kitchen brigade can instantly access advice and training, covering everything from recipes to day to day maintenance, via a smartphone, right in the kitchen.

Webinars – the company has launched virtual expert seminars where high profile speakers discuss a variety of current topics, such as ghost kitchen and food to go, and look at the latest challenges, solutions and opportunities that develop as lockdown is eased.

Live online – this is a series of seminars where potential customers can get virtual experience of Rational cooking systems, and see how the technology can enhance their kitchen operations.  Many of them are sector-specific, so that operators can be sure the content is 100% relevant.  They include Live online sessions focused on pubs, care homes, hotels, hospitals and, coming soon, food to go and convenience foods.

On-site training – Wherever possible, Rational’s programme of on-site training continues and the company has put in place well-resourced and effective Covid-19 protocols to ensure that its staff, and the kitchen brigade they are visiting, are safe and protected.  The company is also offering customers the use of its training kitchens and facilities at its Luton HQ, again under strict Covid-19 protocols.

ConnectedCooking – Rational is continuing to develop its kitchen management system, which allows operators to monitor and update cooking systems remotely.  It reduces the need for extra visitors to come in, for example because data like HACCP can be downloaded, and new programs can be uploaded, from anywhere in the world.  It also reduces downtime, since accredited RATIONAL service partners can see if there’s an issue and fix it before it becomes a problem.  It’s creating a more efficient kitchen and thus can reduce running costs.

RATIONAL is the leading provider in hot food preparation equipment and, with the iCombi Pro and the iVario multifunctional cooking system, the company delivers 95% of all conventional cooking applications.

Rational’s ConnectedCooking allows operators to monitor, manage and update their Rational appliances remotely, from a PC, tablet or smartphone.

iKitchen is the combination of the iCombi Pro, iVario Pro and ConnectedCooking – iKitchen delivers the best kitchen management and the best cooking solutions.

For information and brochures, or to find out about free Rational Live online demonstrations, call +44 (0)1582 480388, freephone 0800 389 2944 or visit www.rational-online.com

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