Zest Quest Asia Takes College Lecturers & Students on a Virtual Voyage of Discovery
(London, 19th February) Zest Quest Asia, the competition designed to stir students’ taste buds towards Asian textures and flavours, has gone the extra mile since the January launch of the Zest Quest Asia Tilda Challenge, its newest online spin-off sponsored by Tilda Foodservice.
Over 1,100 students and nearly 70 lecturers in 21 colleges across the UK have now taken part in interactive seminars covering the culinary histories and traditions of nine countries, including India, Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines. The seminars, each lasting up to two hours, were at the heart of a six-week virtual roadshow led by Zest Quest Asia director, Murray Chapman, who created the programme to encourage more students to take part in the competition with support from their colleges. The Zest Quest Asia seminars were carried out in parallel with on-line sessions for lecturers and students hosted by Tilda Foodservice focussing on the varieties and uses of rice.
During the seminars, Chapman guided participants through the fundamentals and complexities of Asian cuisine, including base flavours (sweet, sour or spicy), typical marinating techniques, the use of fresh and pickled fruits and vegetables, spices, condiments, dipping sauces and, most importantly, the pervasiveness of rice in Asian meals, whether as an important side dish or centrepiece. He also shared photos and tips from previous Zest Quest Asia competitions to demonstrate not only the rigour and high standards involved, but the extent of the knowledge and expertise acquired by students who took part.
Among the catering colleges and institutions that joined the Zest Quest Asia journey of discovery were Eastleigh, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, West Lothian, Sheffield, Colchester, Loughborough, New Suffolk, New City, South Lanarkshire, West Suffolk, North Hertfordshire, Basingstoke, Grimsby, Cheshire, University College Birmingham, Lakefield, Barnfield, New Durham, Taunton, and Halesowen. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many students marvelling at their new knowledge and expressing the desire to learn more. The majority of the colleges have since committed to supporting the competition, with a number of colleges pledging multiple entries.
Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL, co-founder with Pervin Todiwala of Zest Quest Asia, said, ‘We’re delighted that Zest Quest Asia today is considered the Asian cooking competition for students. And with this virtual roadshow, it seems that we’ve succeeded in engaging colleges and students in a way we may not have before. It’s heartening to hear that they want to learn more about the cuisines of Asia and see Zest Quest Asia not just as a competition, but as an experience to really learn from. We’re extremely fortunate to have Murray on the team as this particular chef is no stranger to colleges, owing to his work with Passion to Inspire, the terrific initiative he founded to strengthen links between catering education and industry.’
Murray Chapman said, ‘To me, Zest Quest Asia is an educational journey that begins long before the actual competition and doesn’t end when the winners are announced. We really mean it when we say to students that competing is only the beginning.
‘It made everything worthwhile to hear students say how much they enjoyed learning about the flavours and spices of Asia, or that they were inspired by the talk and appreciated the tips they were given on crafting a good entry. You could almost feel them step into a different world while on the Zoom calls. Now we’re looking forward to quite a few entries for the Zest Quest Asia Tilda Challenge. We’re not taking no for an answer.’
Anthony Gascoigne, chef lecturer at North Hertfordshire College, said, ‘The virtual tour of Asia the students were taken on has inspired and sparked the students’ imaginations and creativity.
‘Zest Quest Asia continues to inspire student chefs to develop their skills in Asian cuisine. It has provided a point of focus and aspiration during lockdown. Murray delivered an engaging tour of Asia and outlined what it takes to produce top quality competition dishes. The students have benefited from his passionate, unique delivery and emphasis on flavour, colour and texture.’
Annette Coggins, Head of Foodservice, Tilda UK added, ‘The pandemic has been especially difficult for young chefs and we’re delighted that, despite the challenges of Covid-19, so much positivity has come out of the Zest Quest Asia Tilda Challenge. We hope the roadshows have given students the confidence to give Asian cuisine a try and we can’t wait to see the final entries.’
The deadline to enter the Zest Quest Asia Tilda Challenge has been extended to 24th February 2021. Six finalists will be chosen to go on to a live cook-off to decide the winner on 31st March 2021.
Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021 Deadline Extended
The deadline for Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021 has been extended until Wednesday 24th February, giving culinary lecturers and student chefs more time to join Cyrus Todiwala and Tilda Foodservice on an inspirational culinary adventure.
Since the January launch of the virtual spin-off to the celebrated competition, headline sponsor Tilda has organised on-line tutorials for over 900 student chefs and their lecturers on the role that speciality rice can play in creating delicious and authentic Asian dishes.
The tutorials complement the virtual interactive lectures on Asian cookery, and its historic and cultural influences being ran by Zest Quest Asia across the UK in the run-up to the entry deadline.
Annette Coggins, Head of Foodservice, Tilda UK said of the event:
“It’s fantastic to see young chefs getting excited about Asian cooking and exploring a culinary art that they may not have had the chance to before. Zest Quest Asia has always been such an important educational event in college calendars, and we are so pleased that the challenges of Covid-19 have not impacted the spirit of students or their passion to learn and cook.
Tilda Foodservice is devoted to inspiring the next generation of chefs and we’re encouraging lecturers and their students to get involved and have a go. There’s so much to gain from taking part and the Zest Quest team is on hand to support you every step of the way.”
Chef Murray Chapman, Director of Zest Quest Asia added,
“The start of this year’s Zest Quest Asia Tilda Challenge has been such a fantastic experience – because of Covid-19 I’ve been able to spend time on-line. Doing one’s best to encourage and inspire what so far has been over a thousand students and their lecturers on an educational adventure to nine countries across Asia. All I can say is a massive thank you to everyone involved for their attention and enthusiasm. Now we want as many students as possible to prepare to get their entries in, not forgetting rice as a key ingredient. I promise you; you won’t look back.”
Chefs Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala, founders of Zest Quest, are inviting student chefs to share their creations on Facebook or Instagram by Wednesday 24th February 2021 leading up to the Covid-safe live final in March where six finalists will compete for the chance to win a host of inspiring prizes including an exclusive Todiwala Masterclass.
Entrants are asked to create recipes that celebrate the flavourful and authentic world of Asian Cuisine using Tilda’s Speciality Rice Range. All the details on the competition and the criteria are available at www.zestquestasia.org.
To help students plan their winning entries, Tilda Foodservice will continue to offer online tutorials exploring Tilda’s Speciality Range and how to elevate their plates. To be part of this exclusive opportunity, colleges and lecturers are asked to register their interest with Jo Witchell by emailing johanna@tilda.com.
Annette adds:
“These are skills that chefs can take with them beyond college and into their professional careers. We are so pleased to see that 26 colleges from all over the UK have already signed up for our online training sessions and we look forward to seeing more enquiries come in!’
Tilda Foodservice and the Todiwalas are passionate about creating a competition that chefs and colleges will look forward to and get excited about in 2021. Zest Quest Asia was launched 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. The success of the competition encourages colleges to include classical Asian cookery in the curriculum, as well as build on the skills needed for chefs to venture into the Asian food industry.
For more information and to enter the Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021, colleges should visit www.zestquestasia.org. The deadline for entries is Wednesday 24th February 2021. The shortlist will be revealed at the end of February, with the live streamed final taking place on 31st March 2021.
For more information on Zest Quest Asia visit www.zestquestasia.org
For more information on Tilda visit www.tildafoodservice.com
‘The Seventh ‘Young Chef Olympiad’ 2021 was a Grand Affair
‘The seventh ‘Young Chef Olympiad’ 2021 was a grand affair, albeit virtually, as cheftestants from across the globe converged for the culinary cook-off extravaganza’
The International Institute of Hospitality Management’s (IIHM) Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) went ‘virtual’ for the first time this year for obvious reasons. Many organisations would have resigned to the fact that the worldwide travel restrictions and local lockdown laws would make such a highly complex, global competition (and that’s under normal conditions) non-achievable this year. However, this was not an option for Dr. Suborno Bose and his team at IIMH.
The Chefs’ Forum’s Education Consultant and chef, Neil Rippington, was honoured to be asked to take the position as Senior Judge in the competition’s heats, leading to the Grand Final on the 6th February. Streamed over Zoom, the worldwide culinary competition saw participants and mentors from over 50 countries compete across 24 time-zones.
Neil formed part of an international judging team with many familiar and famous names including celebrity chef and Masterchef India judge, Ranveer Brar, Chris Galvin, Henry Brosi, Professor David Foskett and India’s most famous chef Sanjeev Kapour.
Working within a complex set of technical logistics, the team at IIHM performed incredibly to broadcast a fantastic show to viewers across the world. The vision of YCO is founded on bringing together some of the world’s most promising young chefs to celebrate the love of food and hospitality. This year, Dr Bose said ‘I am delighted that we have been able to achieve the global connect so fantastically due to the digital handshake. It has been possibly the most important YCO as it is all about hope and bounce-back. It’s the ‘Hope Olympiad’ for all countries.’
The top 20 teams from the preliminary rounds competed for two titles, with teams from 11th to 20th competing for the ‘Plate Trophy’ and those in the top 10 for the Grand Trophy, gold medal and $10,000 US Dollars. The finals took place over the 5th and 6th February with the announcements made during a fantastic and highly entertaining closing ceremony on Saturday evening.
Prizes were also awarded for best dish categories in the preliminary rounds as well as a range of awards for best mentor, best team spirit of the competition, and student ambassadors.
The following teams won awards for outstanding dishes in the preliminary round.
• Best Chicken Dish – United Arab Emitrates (UAE) – Chicken Saluna
• Best Vegetarian Dish – Tunisia – Mastro
• Best Afternoon Tea Eclair – Hong Kong
• The ‘Plate Trophy’ was awarded to Bulgaria
In the Grand Final, New Zealand won the bronze medal (3rd place) and the UAE won the silver medal (2nd place). The very proud team to pick up the gold medal, $10,000 US dollars and 1st place was awarded to Hong Kong.
Gateau St. Honoré – Gold Medalist, Lee Maan Ki of Hong Kong
Gateau St. Honoré – Plate Trophy winner, Andzhela Boeva of Bulgaria.
Neil said ‘I have represented the UK team at YCO twice previously in 2018 and 2019 as the student mentor. We had a truly memorable experience and performed well, making the Grand final on both occasions, picking up awards and the Bronze medal in 2019. To be asked by the management team to become a judge this year was flattering and I relished and enjoyed the opportunity. What Dr Bose, the team at IIHM, the contestants, mentors and everyone else involve in this year’s competition were able to achieve was simply amazing and a great example to the world during such an unprecedented time in our lives. I look forward to being involved again in the future, by which time we can hopefully return to safe travel and free to mix and celebrate as we have in the past.’
Manchester Chefs Plan the Kantina Weekender ‘Great Return’ for May Bank Holiday
Manchester chefs plan “great return” event for the May bank holiday.
A food festival in Manchester is being planned for the late May bank holiday which looks beyond tasty and could be the tonic the hard-hit North West needs to finally get the hospitality scene back on track.
The Kantina Weekender will be located at Escape to Freight Island in Mayfield (near Piccadilly) which is, according to the website blurb is: “A long-forgotten freight depot from the city’s industrial past, reimagined as a cultural space for our future.”
Chefs taking part include Simon Martin of Mana – Manchester’s only Michelin-starred restaurant – Gary Usher of Elite Bistros, and Mary-Ellen McTague of The Creameries. Also to be seen will be a Dishoom, The Jane Eyre, Higher Ground and Tast serving up food.
One of the more unusual, but brilliantly-conceived, ideas for the weekend are chef partnerships. For example:
Gary Usher (of Kala and Hispi) will partner with Forever Changes. Creameries chef Mary-Ellen McTague will join with Great Northern Pies. Tast and Baratxuri will team up on their grill and Pippy Eats will join Northernden’s Vietnamese restaurant Mi + Pho.
Stosie Madi from The Parkers Arms will also be at Kantina Weekender along with Brad Carter of Birmingham’s Carters of Moseley, who will partner with taco experts Madre.
The event will support Eat Well MCR, which has been supporting vulnerable people through the pandemic.
On drinks will be Pomona Island with Lervig and Northern Monk; Deya and Camden Town Brewery; and Charlie Miller from The Laughing Heart.
Dan Hope, founder of plant-based operations Firebird Hope, Four Side pizza, Krum and Plant Grill, will match with Where The Light Gets In’s Sam Buckley – recently a recipient of a green Michelin star for sustainability at his Stockport restaurant.
Sam Buckley said; “I’m absolutely delighted to finally be cooking at Escape to Freight Island.
“It’s an incredible space in the heart of the city and Kantina Weekender will be a great return for food fans across the country.”
Dan Morris, managing director of Escape To Freight Island said: “Kantina Weekender is an opportunity to finally come back together and share in the joy of food and drink.
We are very proud to be able to showcase the talents of the Escape To Freight Island residents whist they collaborate with some of the UK’s most prestigious chefs, brewers, bartenders and all round hospitality heroes.
Kantina Weekender will take place from Friday May 28 to Monday May 31 at Escape to Freight Island at Depot Mayfield.
Tickets will cost £35, which is fully redeemable as credit to spend at the festival, and optional donations to Eat Well MCR will be encouraged on the weekend. For more information checkout the website: www.kantinaweekender.com
Hospitality Mourns Sad Passing of Chef & Gentleman Andrew Bennett
The death of recent Craft Guild of Chefs Chair Andrew Bennett over the weekend has saddened many in the chefs’ profession who knew him as a true gentleman.
Bennett was, for many years, the executive chef of the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel and, more recently, the President of the Craft Guild of Chefs.
He was a hard-working chef who prowled the competition circuit encouraging and inspiring those competing to achieve more than they thought they were capable.
Hayden Groves said of Bennett’s death: “Chef, mentor, friend and one of the industry’s true gentlemen. As a judge he always pushed me to be the very best version of myself & a man I always turned to for advice.”
Alyn Williams said on twitter: “I’m very shocked & saddened to hear of the passing of Chef Andrew Bennett. I had the pleasure of knowing him & judging many competitions alongside him. A true professional & Gentleman. My sympathies go out to his family. RIP Chef.”
A comment from the The Craft Guild of Chefs on 30th January said: “It is with great sadness to share that Chef Andrew Bennett MBE passed away this morning. He will be sorely missed by all, and our thoughts are with Liz and the family at this hard time. We shall all remember him with real fondness.”
The Chefs’ Forum Partners with Bridging The Skills Gap to Highlight Shortfalls in Industry Skills
The Chefs’ Forum is pleased to announce that it has joined PACE and The Craft Guild of Chefs as a partner in the Bridging The Skills Gap initiative (BTSG)
Founded by Tameside College Food & Beverage Lecturer John Holden, BTSG strives to get Secondary and Further education to work in harmony with the wider Hospitality industry, promoting Hospitality as an exciting and challenging career choice and gaining wider recognition for the career paths available within it.
Education Consultant at The Chefs’ Forum, Neil Rippington said:
The Chefs’ Forum shares the concern and ideology of the Bridging the Skills Gap initiative. It is essential that we align our approaches to such fundamental issues. We need to work together to protect the development of skills and support the future pipeline of talent in the hospitality industry.
John Holden of BTSG said of the collaboration:
“Bridging the skills gap is pleased to be collaborating with The Chefs’ Forum on building recognition for young chefs and FOH staff through college links and industry as well as developing different methods of CPD to benefit chefs and FOH alike, with events showing the classic skills of Gueridon, wine service and customer service.
“Now more than ever collaboration across the industry and colleges is of importance as we are in crisis due to the pandemic as well as looking to how we can cover the skills gap when lockdown is lifted.
“It is imperative that we highlight the industry and the future of our industry to all not just the hardened followers but to the general society and to ensure security and stability in getting the next generation to have a career in the Great, amazing and wonderful Hospitality Industry whether it be FOH or Kitchen, there definitely is a career to be made.”
The Chefs’ Forum to Release The Great Game Guide 2021 Ready for Summer Shooting Season!
The Chefs’ Forum is hard at work on a Game Guide that will feature 100 of the top UK restaurants, pubs and members clubs that specialise in game.
Planned for release on the Glorious Twelfth (August 12th 2021), a huge day in the game calendar to celebrate the start of the Grouse season.
Chefs and game enthusiasts get extremely excited about this date as it signifies the creation of delightful grouse dishes and the start of the shooting season for birds in the feather.
Annette Woolcock, Head of Food at the British Association of Shooting and Conservation is working closely with The Chefs’ Forum on promoting the responsible sourcing of game meat among chefs and will be consulting on the production of the guide to ensure the content truly represents the game sector and all the great attributes of it; from gate to plate.
Working closely with chefs, shoots, game associations, retailers and experts the 2021 Game Guide will become the ultimate guide to eating, buying and cooking game.
Editor Chandos Elletson revealed:
“Game meat is unique. It’s varied, wild and lean. In many cases it’s the ultimate meat. It requires skill and imagination to cook properly but the rewards for learning those skills will last a chef forever.
A rare wild duck breast, for example, is very different to a farmed duck which has a very fatty skin. The wild version is denser, meatier and much more flavoursome. There really is no comparison. You don’t eat a wild bird for crispy skin. You eat it for its incomparable flavour.
It’s amazing how many really excellent game chefs there are in the UK and this guide celebrates them and their imaginative cooking methods. British game really is world class at a time when healthier meats are cherished.”
Having produced a regional version of the guide with BASC in 2014, The Chefs’ Forum is delighted to be working on an updated National version to celebrate the finest game chefs in the UK.
A recent survey conducted on behalf of Taste of Game and the British Game Alliance showed an overwhelming passion for game meat among UK chefs and they proudly showcased their fantastic dishes and favourite species throughout the season.
Louisa North, Head of Operations at The British Game Alliance is delighted that The Chefs’ Forum is producing the guide
The British Game Alliance gives its full support to The Game Guide, which is a great initiative. Promoting the great health benefits and delicious flavour of game through as many different avenues as possible benefits both consumers and the great British countryside.
The Chefs’ Forum Director Catherine Farinha said:
“Our work with Taste of Game and the British Game Alliance has taught us that there are strict measures in place to promote top quality harvesting, processing and responsible sourcing of game meat for both retail and trade. This guide will serve to let people know about the fantastic people and organisations involved in the sector and where best to buy and enjoy eating game meat.”
For more information on The Great Game Guide or how to advertise within it, please contact Alexandra Duncan: alexandra@redcherry.uk.com
The World’s Biggest Culinary Competition for Young Chefs Begins Online on 31st January
The 7th IIHM International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) will be hosted online from January 31st until February 6th with The Chefs’ Forum’s, Neil Rippington as one of the lead judges.
The competition will see young chefs from 50 countries, including Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Turkey, UAE, Sweden, compete against each other over two rounds to win a cash prize of $10,000.
This year’s theme is ‘Forward Together’ and aims to unite the young talents of the culinary world through their positive action. The opening ceremony is scheduled on Sunday Jan 31, 06:30 PM India Time OR 1 PM GMT and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/5Ym6p78NA5s
Neil Rippington said: ‘I am honoured to be invited to judge this year’s Young Chef Olympiad competition. I have mentored the UK candidate twice before and enjoyed the most amazing experience, meeting the young chefs and mentors from countries from all corners of the world.
Unfortunately, this year, we are unable to compete in India, but the spirit of Young Chef Olympiad has broken through the barriers we are all facing to host an amazing virtual version of the event. I will be judging alongside some industries icons, including Chris Galvin, Henry Brosi, Brian Turner and Gary Maclean, as well as international judges Sanjeev KapoorI (India), Andreas Muller (Hong Kong), Stefan Hogan (Malta), Garth Stroebel (South Africa) and Enzo Oliveri (Italy), among many others. It demonstrates the great community across the culinary world and the positivity we share to ensure the show goes on.’
Dr Suborno Bose, the CEO of International Hospitality Council (IHC) and Founder of YCO, said, “The COVID-19 Pandemic and an era of social distancing has not deterred our spirit to take the International Young Chef Olympiad to the next level. With 50 countries coming together virtually to celebrate the diversity of food from across the borders, YCO 2021 is not just the biggest culinary competition in the world but also a global platform fostering the spirit of youth, friendship, diversity and inclusiveness. Moreover, it brings all the young and talented future stars of the international culinary scene on a single platform where they connect with each other and share insights out of their experiences.”
Competition rounds will start from 1st February on Zoom video conferencing. The top 10 contestants will compete in the Grand Finale of YCO 2021 on 4th and 5th February split in 2 groups of 5 countries in each, across 2 days in different time zones.
The Plate Trophy will also be held on the 4th and 5th February wherein the contestants holding positions 11 to 20 in the first round will compete. The Olympiad will conclude on 6th February with a closing ceremony, where the YCO 2021 Champion, runners-up and other awardees will be announced. This year, the participants will be competing for awards such as ‘Rising Star’, ‘Best Vegetarian Dish’, ‘Best Hygiene and Kitchen Practice’, ‘Best Chicken Sauté Dish’, ‘Ambassador Award’, ‘Mentor Award’, ‘Sustainability Award’, ‘Best Use of Kitchen Cut’ and ‘Best Afternoon Tea Profiteroles’.
In the competition’s first round, the contestants will be required to prepare three dishes – 4 portions of a chicken cut for sauté with a garnish and sauce, 8 chocolate eclairs suitable for a luxury afternoon tea and 4 portions of a vegetarian dish using the mentioned ingredients in two and a half hours. The contestants will be judged on their basic skills, nutrition, health and safety, taste and creativity in this round.
The Grand Finale and Plate Trophy Finals of YCO 2021 will test each contestant’s creativity, innovation, cooking skills and professional good practice in a time bound environment. For the grand final, the contestants will be given two and a half hours to prepare 2 litres of chicken stock into a consommé with a garnish, and Gâteau St. Honoré for 10 persons using a sweet pastry as the base and choux pastry filled with a crème chiboust. For the Plate Trophy Finals, the contestants will be required to prepare the same Gâteau St. Honoré for 10 persons, but in 2 hours.
Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will be the Principal Judge and Mentor for YCO 2021 while Professor David Foskett (MBE) will be the Chairman of the Jury. The panel of judges will include an array of internationally acclaimed judges and celebrity chefs.
The Michelin Guide in France has Awarded its First Ever Michelin Star to a Vegan Restaurant
ONA in Ares near Bordeaux is the first restaurant to be awarded a star for serving only animal-free products.
Claire Vallee, the owner and chef, said after she’d got the call from Michelin:
‘It felt like I got hit by a train.’
She opened the restaurant in 2016 following a crowdfunding campaign as well as with a loan from a “green” bank: Le Nef.
Before Covid restrictions forced the restaurant to close the menu offered seven dishes on the gourmet menu including favourite combinations of pine, boletus mushroom and sake, or celery, tonka and amber ale.
Vallee said that traditional French banks weren’t interested when she asked for a loan to get started.
‘They said the outlook for veganism and plant-based food was too uncertain,’ she told AFP. Her choice of location for the restaurant in the Arcachon basin on the Atlantic coast was ‘not considered promising enough”
Vallee says she doesn’t hold a grudge, though: ‘Everybody does their job. It shows that nothing is impossible. I did wonder if we were good enough because vegetable-based cooking is difficult and innovative. The most important thing is to enjoy doing it.’
Vallee cited the late Jean-Christian Jury, who ran the Mano Verde restaurant in Berlin as an inspiration.
The Chefs’ Forum Celebrates Huge Success in Virtual CPD Conference!
It was a fantastic event, providing four afternoons of superb content, spread over the last two weeks. It served as a platform to explore and discuss a variety of highly topical issues, all with the common aim of facilitating college lecturers’ participation in Continuing Professional Development or CPD.
The ninety-five delegates from catering colleges all over the UK were also treated to sample some exceptional produce whilst learning key information and provenance relating to the products, and enjoyed a range of outstanding demonstrations; all of this through a screen and keyboard!
Day one opened with Jamie’s fascinating and highly-skilled demonstration, producing a world-class sugar ribbon, followed by Philli and Chris’ debate on the necessity for business operations to be added to future culinary education curriculum
A highly engaging and entertaining insight to Peter’s world of front of house development and management and Deri’s inspirational story of his sustainable and ethical restaurant ‘The Warren’, followed, providing excellent examples of contemporary approaches to restaurant management. This also explored the development of a business’s culture, the importance of staff sharing the vision as well as issues around social responsibility.
Headline sponsors of the CPD Conference, International Culinary Studio, joined the topical blended learning session to demonstrate the use of their blended learning solution. Ingrid and Cheryl would be very pleased to spend more time with colleagues to fully introduce the system and how this can be tailored and white-labelled to a college’s bespoke requirements. If you haven’t already, please get in contact to arrange an appointment to further explore the potential of this exciting platform.
Rounding up the first week, Biju indulged us with an outstanding demonstration of his ‘Brio-Mac-Cookie’, leaving us all drooling! You could ‘virtually’ taste its deliciousness! it was a fascinating opening two days.
Week two was equally inspiring. We tasted and explored the ethical sourcing, characteristics, and versatility of macadamia nuts with Andrew and his family at Nutcellars. Hayden supported with an excellent demonstration and recipe utilising macadamia, also featuring the outstanding venison, supplied by Curtis Pitts.
Neil Rippington was joined by my ex-colleague, Jody Seaton (Director of Learning Support/Maths and English) to examine the challenges of embedding maths and English into the hospitality/culinary curriculum. The development of a planning tool was investigated alongside examples of tools and activities to embed the subject. This is another area where it is important to share best practice and Neil believes that we could dedicate a full day to explore the subject further.
On the final day of the conference, Honey Sommelier, Sarah Wyndham Lewis, introduced us to the properties of raw artisan honey, its production, flavour profiles and an intuitive tasting masterclass. Paul (Koppert Cress) delivered a session exploring the unique flavour profiles, medical benefits and innovative uses of cresses and leaves in products and recipes. Hayden and I explored ways in which industry and education can work more closely together to develop future curriculum. I think this session created great debate and scope for further investigation, but also the reassurance of great examples of chefs/industry and education currently working together. However, the evolvement of the curriculum remains a challenging and diverse issue to take forward.
To draw the curtain on the conference, Curtis provided us with a masterclass in game in which he broke down a carcass of venison, alongside a discussion on responsible sourcing with Annette Woolcock from Taste of Game. Curtis amazed and inspired us with his passion, knowledge and skill. It was a brilliant end to the conference programme.
Huge thanks go out to all the guest speakers for their highly skilled and knowledgeable contributions. In challenging circumstances, they all did a magnificent job and the enthusiasm for the subjects discussed was as uplifting as it was reassuring.
Having received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Conference Delegates, The Chefs’ Forum is now staging three, more in-depth CPD events in Game Butchery, Front of House Skills and Chocolate. Full details will be released next week.
In the meantime, should you require any further information on how to get involved in future CPD events, please email neil@redcherry.uk.com
