Competition Time! Win a Set of F.Dick Knives Worth £350 – Fill Out the Rational Questionnaire NOW!

WIN A SET OF DICK KNIVES!

Rational have teamed up with The Chefs’ Forum to find out what your food trends and kitchen dreams are for 2020.

We have compiled two surveys, one for food trends and one for your kitchen dreams. If you can please spare 5-10 minutes to fill in both surveys below – you will be entered into a draw to win one of two sets of F.Dick high carbon knives, with 13 different knives and tools.

To be eligible to win the knife set you must fill in both surveys:
Survey 1
Survey 2

Thank you for your time.

Terms and Conditions:

• The promoter is Red Cherry (Bristol) Ltd t/a The Chefs’ Forum.
• The competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom aged 18 years or over except employees of Red Cherry (Bristol) Ltd and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition.
• There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.
• By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
• Route to entry for the competition and details of how to enter are via Facebook, Twitter and www.thechefsforum.co.uk
• Only one entry will be accepted per person. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified.
• Closing date for entry will be Friday 24th January 2020. After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
• No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
• The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
• The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.The prize is as follows:
• The prize is as stated and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. The prize is not transferable. The Prize is subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
• Winners will be chosen by an independent adjudicator or panel of judges appointed by the Promoter.
• The winner will be notified by telephone and/or email and/or DM on Twitter/Facebook and/or letter within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or do not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
• The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prize can be collected / is delivered.
• The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
• The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
• The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material, as well as their entry. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
• The winner’s name will be available 28 days after closing date by emailing the following address: alexandra@redcherry.uk.com
• Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
• This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network. You are providing your information to Red Cherry (Bristol) Ltd and not to any other party.

Six Colleges Go Forward to Zest Quest Asia 2020 Finals Cook Off in February 2020

Six colleges have won coveted places in the Zest Quest Asia 2020 finals. Loughborough College, New City College, North Hertfordshire College, Sheffield College, University College Birmingham, and University of West London will be competing at a live cook-off to be held on Friday, 7^th February 2020 at Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen, the signature restaurant of the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards Night to be held at the hotel that evening.

Founded by Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala in 2013 in collaboration with the Master Chefs of Great Britain, Zest Quest Asia is the student catering competition that recognises outstanding talent, knowledge and understanding of Asian cuisine. The competition is on its seventh round, and is open to all full-time students with British citizenship or permanent UK residency status, who work in teams of three.

So far, over a hundred students have had the opportunity to compete in the finals of Zest Quest Asia. The competition is noted for its rigorous criteria and exacting standards, but also for the range of prizes that await the winners and competitors, not least of which is a 7-day cultural and education trip to an Asian destination. Previous winners have visited India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and the first prize destination is always a kept a closely guarded secret until the Gala Dinner.

Apart from the first prize trip, this year’s finalists are in the running to win a trip to Italy, courtesy of Tilda, a gold sponsor of Zest Quest Asia for the last six years. Other sponsors are Castelnau, Cobra, Glengoyne, Hilton, Meiko, Panasonic, Regale and Robot Coupe.

Cyrus Todiwala said, ‘Narrowing down the entries to a shortlist of six is always a challenge because we’re conscious of the effort and resources invested in each entry. Because of this, and the fact that many Asian cuisines and cooking styles remain a mystery to college students, I believe everyone who chose to participate deserves the highest praise.

‘Congratulations to the six colleges that came through and we very much look forward to great things from you in February. As long as you focus on key areas such as flavour, technique, the use of ingredients, sustainability and presentation, and can prove your knowledge and understanding behind your chosen menus, you can’t go wrong. Very well done so far!’

The Zest Quest Asia final cook off and Gala Dinner and Awards Night will be held on Friday, 7^th February 2020 at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5.For more information and tickets, visitwww.zestquestasia.org. Special accommodation rates at Hilton T5 are also available upon booking.

Bristol Audi Celebrates Q Series with Spanish-themed Charity Fundraiser

The Bristol Audi Showroom, Cribbs Causeway held a spectacular ‘Viva La Quattro’ Spanish-themed festive customer event to celebrate the ‘Audi Q Series’ and raise vital funds for Bristol’s homeless on Wednesday (4) December 2019.

The Spanish-themed event set out to give a festive taste of Spain ‘Bristol Audi-style’ to the hundred and fifty Audi fans who attended in vibrant interactive Salsa dance routines, live Spanish music and impressive Spanish cookery displays. Guests were then treated to an authentic tapas canapé menu and a giant paella cooked live on the demo stage.  The Bristol Audi dealership was filled with aromas of Spanish culinary excellence and a brilliant ambience with authentic Latin flavour!

Guests were welcomed with Codorníu Anna cava, non-alcoholic fruit-filled sangria and tapas canapés laid-on by Private Chefs Manuel Monzon and Carl Pycock, with the help of chefs and front of house students from City of Bristol College.

Stellan and Stephanie Jara, dance duo from Bristol-based salsa school ‘Salsa Souls’ led Bristol Bears rugby players and guests in a brilliant salsa dance class to a sound track of live Spanish music played by the excellent Bristol band, Albino Tarantino.

A silent auction was held on the night raising nearly £1000 for Bristol Homeless Charities; Wild Goose drop-in and Bristol Soup Run Trust. Steve Baker of Wild Goose, Steve Jones of Bristol Soup Run Trust and volunteer, Steph Lam took to the microphone to tell Bristol Audi’s guests of the great work both charities do in providing food, support and shelter for Bristol’s homeless people, raising awareness at this, the coldest time of the year when their services are used the most.

Steph Lam said:

“I am honoured to be able to help Bristol’s homeless people as a volunteer through helping them out with food and shelter, or even providing company or a listening ear.  I am grateful that this evening’s event is highlighting the plight of the homeless in a city that ranks number two nationally for the highest number of homeless people.  Together we can make a difference and help in so many ways and supporting Wild Goose and Bristol Soup Run will do just that.”

Bristol Audi supports the local community in sponsoring The Chefs’ Forum, an industry networking organisation for top local chefs, which bridges the gap between education and industry. Inviting hospitality and catering students from the local college to help cater this prestigious customer event gave the young people valuable work experience and forged links and opened doors with top local employers.

A tutored Spanish wine tasting was conducted by Head Sommelier at Cliveden House, Zareh Mesrobyan as he paired three wines to paella, freshly carved jamon and olives with smoked anchovy.

The ‘Viva La Quattro’ theme was extended to a show-round by Cliff Simmons of Audi UK, where he shared his in-depth technical knowledge with the audience in showcasing the new Audi e-tron and the new Q5 TFSIe, talking guests through a whole range of high-tech features and safety systems designed to protect both the driver and other road users.

Steve Smith, Head of Business at Bristol Audi said:

“This event proved a great success.  Excellence in customer service and product are the Audi brand values and indeed our values at Bristol Audi. It was great to have the Bristol Bears involved in the Salsa dancing masterclass, proving that their footwork is as agile off the pitch as it is on. Showcasing top chefs and optimum levels of hospitality really shows our commitment to customers that we really believe in what we do.  The feedback from guests as well as the dancers, musicians, chefs and students who took part was really positive and it was great to showcase the Q Series alongside the finest Spanish culinary talent, music and dance.”

The evening set out to communicate that the Audi Q models are at a whole new level of luxury and make for a greatly enhanced driving experience. The guests had a fantastic evening and experienced a true Spanish festive fiesta all in aid of an extremely worthy cause at Bristol Audi.

Photography: www.johnblackwell.co.uk

Koppert Cress Launches New Website with Refined Taste!

On the 20th of November  is the official launch of the completely new Koppert Cress website and the company’s new visual identity. The newly developed online platform fits in current website expectations and provides a complete new experience with ease of use, extensive travel stories and a configurator that, based on hundreds of criteria, helps to make the correct ingredient choices.

In 8 languages and every device, visitors are able to make use of the enhanced search functionality, locate the most nearby reseller points and with countless stories, learn more about the world of Koppert Cress.

A unique tool The CressSelector has been developed. The tool helps chefs in their quest for the perfect ingredient match for their menu. Filter among criteria as season, ingredient, technique, taste and even nutrients for the best combination with the Koppert Cress collection.

Now online, check it out www.koppertcress.com

Koppert Cress is constantly looking for natural and innovative ingredients, which chefs can use to intensify the flavour, aroma and presentation of their dishes. Products that meet the increasingly stringent demands of restaurants across the globe. Cresses are freshly germinated seedlings of 100% natural aromatic plants. These plants provide freshness and intensity of taste and aroma that is almost exclusively found in young plants.

Entries open for The Roux Scholarship 2020: Former finalists Nathan Outlaw and Bryn Williams explain how being a finalist helped their careers

Entries opened on Tuesday 12^th November for The Roux Scholarship 2020 and young chefs all over the country are beginning to create their recipes for hake, clams and leeks in order to submit their entry.

More than a decade ago, top chefs Nathan Outlaw and Bryn Williams were in their shoes. Both chefs progressed to the finals in the early and mid-2000s and ­– despite not winning – found that being part of The Roux Scholarship has been of great benefit to their careers.

Nathan Outlaw, whose Port Isaac restaurant holds two Michelin stars, took part in the competition three times in the early 2000s and still values the experience. He said: “It helped me because it took me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to do more.  It’s easy to sit back and not challenge yourself when you cook in the same kitchen every day.”

The contacts he made have also been of benefit to Chef Outlaw’s career: “Being a finalist gave me a wonderful experience at the age of 22 and 23 that I still cherish today.  The people I met were have helped me in various ways throughout my career.  Also, the Roux Scholarship has a kudos that really opens doors for a young chef.  For someone serious about their craft, it’s worth every minute!”

Bryn Williams got through to the finals in 2005, having also applied the year before, he said: “What I really  enjoyed was being in the mix in one of the best competitions in Europe and cooking against your peers, and being judged by these fantastic chefs. I enjoyed the professionalism of the competition too. It’s a serious competition and you need to be your very best to go through the stages to the final.”

Now that it is several years since he competed, Chef Williams, who is chef-proprietor at Odette’s in Primrose Hill and has restaurants at Somerset House and Porth Eirias in Colwyn Bay, still feels the benefit. “Even now, 10, 12, 14 years later, people say ‘Oh you did the Roux Scholarship’. People know you did it, and you’re on their radar, and that never goes away. Being associated with The Roux Scholarship is the biggest pat on the back you could get.”

Roux Scholarship judge Simon Hulstone took part in the finals twice before he eventually won it in 2003 and knows how valuable it is to the chef’s establishment as well as the chef themselves: “Competing in the finals is not only a challenge to the competitors it’s a chance to showcase what you have learnt from your mentors over the years of training. So not only is it the chef but the establishment that is being tested and highlighted.”

Chef Hulstone also acknowledges that for many chefs, like himself, it takes a few years to finally scoop the top prize. “Everyone who has competed in the Scholarship has benefitted not only from prizes and PR but they have gained a sense of maturity and knowing where they stand as a chef. Most chefs who don’t win would acknowledge they weren’t at the standard that the winner was at for that year, and so they compete again and again giving themselves the advantage of other chefs who are first timers.”

Competition details:

Applicants must submit a recipe via the Roux Scholarship website, before 31^st January 2020, that includes:

One whole fresh MSC labelled hake, gutted, weighing anywhere between 1.6kg – 1.8kg (maximum 2kg) and 600g live whole grooved carpet shell / palourde clams (ruditapes decussatus); together plated with two ‘simple’ or ‘composed’ garnishes/accompaniments.  One of them must include leeks and the other to be a garnish/accompaniment of their choice.  One of these can be served separately if preferred.  A sauce must accompany the dish. Up to two and a half hours’ cooking time is allocated at the Regional Final for cooking the dish, as the recipe originally submitted and a dessert to serve four people made from a ‘mystery box’ of ingredients given on the day. Entrants must be in full-time employment as a chef in the United Kingdom and be aged 22 or above, but no older than 30 years of age on 1st February 2020. Further instructions and the rules of the competition, including maximum costings for recipe ingredients, can be found on the website www.rouxscholarship.co.uk

Competition dates

Closing date for applications – Midnight, 31^st January 2020

Regional Finals at University College Birmingham and University of West London – 19^th March 2020

National Final at Westminster Kingsway College, and Awards Ceremony at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park – 6^th April 2020.

Judges: Three-star Michelin chef Björn Frantzén will judge the final as Honorary President of Judges, and some of the country’s best chefs are returning as judges for the regional and national finals: joining chairmen Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr are Clare Smyth, Sat Bains, James Martin, Simon Hulstone, André Garrett, Rachel Humphrey, Brian Turner and Angela Hartnett.

JEROME CALAYAG ANNOUNCED AS THE WINNER OF S.PELLEGRINO YOUNG CHEF REGIONAL SEMI-FINAL, AND WILL BE REPRESENTING UK & NORTH EUROPE AT THE GRAND FINALE IN MILAN, 2020

LONDON, NOVEMBER 2019 – Following a day of outstanding displays of culinary prowess by some of the most talented young chefs in the UK and North Europe, Jerome Calayag (Sweden) has been announced as the winner and will be participating in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Finale in 2020. The Grand Finale will take place in Milan on the 8^th-9^th May 2020.

Jerome Calayag won the judges over with his signature dish, Humble Vegetables.

“I am very excited to represent the UK & North Europe in Milan next year at the global final of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition. I’ve spent a lot of time preparing for this evening and I’m grateful for all the support I have received. I’m looking forward to seeing where this competition will take me next.”

The win is even more impressive as this year’s competition saw a huge 2,400 applicants from all over the world were put forward for consideration to the competition, with the level of talent as impressive as ever. Showing initial results of the commitment taken by S.Pellegrino towards gender balance and inclusivity, the percentage of women registered among the candidates increased to more than 10%.

Jerome has won the opportunity to compete for the overall title of S.Pellegrino Young Chef at the final, however a further three young chef’s were also awarded at the semi-final. To reflect S.Pellegrino’s belief in and support of, the transformative power of gastronomy and it’s impact beyond the kitchen, the following three awards have been introduced to the competition to compliment the existing S.Pellegrino Young Chef award:

Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy – Voted for by the Regional Mentors, the winner of this award will produce a dish that represents diversity and recognises the beauty of different cultures coming together to create something fresh and exciting.

Timothee Martin-Nadaud (UK) with his signature dish, The World Is Your Oyster

Fine Dining Lovers Community Award – Voted for by the online Fine Dining Lovers community, this award will be for the young chef who best represents their personal belief within their dish.

Nicolas Fagundes Galindo (Ireland) with his signature dish, Flavors And Textures Of Palm And Ox Tongue

S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility – Voted for by Food Made Good the internationally recognized voice on Sustainability in food, this dish will represent the principle that that food is best when it is the result of sustainable practices.

Pippa Lovell (UK) with her signature dish What She Found

S.Pellegrino Young Chef Award won by Jerome Calayag – Voted for by the Regional Jury, this award is given to the chef who has unrivaled technical skills, genuine creativity and an exceptional, strong personal belief about Gastronomy.

All of the winners of the additional three awards will also be invited to attend the Grand Finale, affording them another opportunity to network with some of the biggest names in gastronomy from around the globe.

This year’s UK and North Europe final also saw Killian Crowley – winner of the 2017 UK & Ireland final create a special, four-course celebratory dinner to mark S.Pellegrino’s 120th anniversary.

The success of the UK & North Europe Final of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition was also made possible by Italian Supper Club.

To can find updates with announcements and news ahead of the Grand Finale in May 2020 here: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchef.com/en. Follow the story also on Facebook and Instagram via #SPYoungChef.

S.Pellegrino Young Chef nurtures the future of gastronomy, by nesting, discovering and promoting the next generation of culinary talent. S.Pellegrino Young Chef facilitates young talent from around the globe to have access to the gastronomic community, and enables and encourages them to demonstrate their personal belief in the transformative power of gastronomy through their technical skills and creativity. The winner of S.Pellegrino Young Chef will become a positive force for change.

HEALING MANOR HOTEL MEET THE SUPPLIER CAMPAIGN

This month Lincolnshire’s historic Healing Manor Hotel and its 2 Rosette, family and dog friendly pub The Pig & Whistle, has launched its ‘Meet the Supplier’ campaign to showcase the families and faces behind the local food producers and businesses it works with.

There’s no denying the growing emphasis being placed on food chain accountability in our current climate, especially with the latest ‘Brexit deal’ updates never leaving the headlines. Even discounting today’s international political priorities, the consumer is growing more aware by the day of traceability within the food industry, holding businesses accountable for their choices.

For years, this exact issue has been of huge importance at Healing Manor – which today is spearheaded by Steven Bennet, also known as The Lincolnshire Chef, and his partner Charlotte Hay.  With a team of almost 60, the pair strive to source all of the ingredients locally and change menus to adapt to the ever-changing seasons. A feat which has seen strong relationships forged with myriad local suppliers, further solidifying the hotel’s ethos when it comes to provenance.

Charlotte says: “With food and running costs on the up, and Brexit on the horizon, it’s becoming increasingly important for businesses, both small and large, to take responsibility for the sustainability of their offerings and the supply chain behind the product on offer.

“I think it’s more preferent than ever, that as a business we take responsibility to educate our customers and share the story behind the products and dishes we serve. While people don’t necessarily want to know the full ins and outs of every aspect of the supply chain, our customers do like to know that the processes we’re taking to source our ingredients are fair and sustainable. The decision to work with small independent and local businesses does mean than on occasions certain products are more expensive to buy in, and get hold of, and this is why we’ve launched our ‘Meet the Supplier’ campaign. We want to shine a light on exactly how these dedicated businesses work, both with us and independently.”

To kick off the campaign, the duo has shared the story behind Coven Garden – their vegetable producer. Coven Garden, not to be mixed up with Covent Garden, is situated just outside the affluent town of Louth in the beautiful and quiet village of Covenham. Run by Graham, the business took root just over six years ago and Steven has relied on him ever since for quality produce.

Coven Garden, which specialises in growing Lincolnshire vegetables, specialist herbs, micro herbs and edible plants, all started with the seed of an idea – to provide Graham’s two sons, Ben and Sam, with a job. Both autistic, Graham wanted to create an opportunity for Ben and Sam to earn a living and make use of the land they owned in Covenham.

Steve says: “A lot of the suppliers we work with at Healing Manor are people I’ve worked with for more than 20 years. Lincolnshire is one of the country’s biggest producers of food and this is something to be shouted about – there’s a reason it’s known as Britain’s larder. We’re so lucky to have so many independent growers and makers right here on our doorstep.”

As the campaign progresses suppliers featured will amass to 15 at least, and will include:

Stokes Tea & Coffee, Lincoln – A family-run business and Lincoln institution, Stokes’ has more than 100 years of knowledge and experience under its belt, some fascinating snippets of history and wonderfully innovative values.

Amy Jobe’s Lincoln Russet, South Elkington – Home to the most beautiful Lincoln Red cattle, pure bred and raised slowly outside to produce mouth-wateringly good beef with outstanding flavour, texture and appearance. The care and dedication, and value Amy places in her pedigree Lincoln Reds is truly inspiring.

Alfred Enderby, Grimsby – The award-winning producer of smoked fish, Alfred Enderby’s products are the very epitome of tradition. With skills passed down since the smokehouse was first recognisable in 1918, it’s no wonder chefs such as Marco Pierre White rate Alfred Enderby’s as the very best.

Entries open for The Roux Scholarship 2020: The prestigious competition invites applicants to create a recipe with hake, clams and leeks

The Roux Family are delighted to open the Roux Scholarship 2020 for entries, inviting young chefs to test their fish filleting skills by submitting a recipe using hake, clams and leeks.

Chairman Alain Roux said: “This year, the competition is showcasing MSC certified hake, a beautiful, sustainably sourced fish local to our shores in the UK.  It is similar in looks and habitat to cod, its more popular cousin, but has a milder flavour, softer texture and smaller flake.  A surprisingly underrated fish, hake finds its perfect accompaniment in palourde clams, a particular favourite of mine along with deliciously delicate leeks.  As usual, we are setting a deceptively simple task, using three ingredients whilst testing core skills to the limit.  The key to success will depend on precise judgement to ensure a subtle balance of flavours whilst taking care not to overcook any element. I can’t wait to see what our ingenious competitors produce for us this year”. 

Chairman Michel Roux Jr said: “Hake is such a delicate fish, it needs the utmost care and attention when cooking so I’m really looking forward to see what the chefs come up with. Clams and leeks are the perfect accompaniment but there is lots of scope for bold flavours with the sauce and the second garnish.”

Entrants must be in full-time employment as a chef in the United Kingdom and be aged 22 or above, but
no older than 30 years of age on 1st February 2020. They have until midnight on Friday 31st January 2020 to submit a recipe to serve four people using:

One whole fresh MSC labelled hake, gutted, weighing anywhere between 1.6kg – 1.8kg (maximum 2kg) and 600g live whole grooved carpet shell / palourde clams (ruditapes decussatus); together plated with two ‘simple’ or ‘composed’ garnishes/accompaniments.  One of them must include leeks and the other to be a garnish/accompaniment of the applicant’s choice.  One of these can be served separately if preferred.  A sauce must accompany the dish.

Important notes:

Up to two and a half hours’ cooking time is allocated at the Regional Final for cooking the dish, as the recipe originally submitted and a dessert to serve four people made from a ‘mystery box’ of ingredients given on the day.

Contestants must provide their recipe with a full and accurate list of quantities and cost of all ingredients used, omitting the cost of the whole fresh hake and live whole grooved carpet shell / palourde clams (ruditapes decussatus). The cost of the hake will be of £8.00 per kg and the clams £10.00 per kg.  Both will be provided by the college to those successful in being selected to compete at the Regional Final. The full total costing of the dish, excluding the whole fresh hake and live whole grooved carpet shell / palourde clams (ruditapes decussatus), should not exceed £12.00 per portion.

Entrants are not allowed to use or bring any pre-prepared stock or sauce whatsoever for the fish, vegetable or garnish/accompaniment dishes and none will be provided.

The use of caviar, truffles or foie gras is not permitted.

The judges will look favourably at efficient use of waste and leftover ingredients during the course of preparation.

A maximum of two photographs may accompany entries, if applicants feel these will enhance their entry.  This is not obligatory.

Full details of the competition, rules and the entry process are available on the website www.rouxscholarship.co.uk which entrants must read before entering.

Competition dates

• Recipe ingredients announced and entries open – 12^th November 2019
• Closing date for applications – 31^st January 2020
• Regional Finals at University College Birmingham and University of West London – 19^th March 2020
• National Final at Westminster Kingsway College, and Awards Ceremony at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park – 6^th April 2020.

Judges: Three-star Michelin chef Björn Frantzén will judge the final as Honorary President of Judges, and some of the country’s best chefs are returning as judges for the regional and national finals: joining chairmen Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr are Clare Smyth, Sat Bains, James Martin, Simon Hulstone, André Garrett, Rachel Humphrey, Brian Turner and Angela Hartnett.

Catering Heads Join Forces to raise GCSE Maths and English Results on a National Level

Maths and English are used in the professional kitchen every day, but many students on catering and hospitality courses have yet to pass their GCSE in order to gain their Further Education College qualification.  University College Birmingham Dean of the College of Food and Hospitality Management, Neil Rippington is launching a national initiative in association with national Chef Networking organisation, The Chefs’ Forum to secure rewards for students who meet a range of positive criteria over the course of the year, specifically in English and Maths.

Neil Rippington has engineered the following incentive-based performance reward system to motivate and incentivise students to give it their best shot in terms of ensuring students attend Maths and English lessons and promote the virtues of achieving in these subject areas.

Speaking of the initiative, Neil said

“One of the University’s primary targets for student achievement this year is to improve maths and English results. This is a national issue and a condition of funding for FE students who have not achieved a 4 or above (or old-school C) at GCSE. As well as their vocational course option (e.g. chef/hospitality), students also have to continue to study English or maths if they were unable to secure the appropriate grades whilst at school. The current benchmarks (for the achievement of 4 or above) for students retaking maths and English in FE colleges is in the low 20% region”. 

Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum added:

“Drawing on the national reach of The Chefs’ Forum, with over 5000 chef members and a network of over 15 top catering colleges and their respective Principals and Heads of School, it would be amazing if this rewards incentive for Maths and English really made a difference this year – I am delighted to have worked with Neil to gain the support of The Manchester College, Gloucestershire College, Coleg Gwent, West London College and Cornwall College – A great national spread and focus group for potential national roll-out if successful this year.”

The Chefs’ Forum has secured some fantastic employers to back the initiative, all offering experiential rewards this January to students meeting positive criteria for attendance and engagement in their Maths and English lessons over the course of this year

Employers have offered lunch, afternoon tea or dinner for fifteen students at a time, which is extremely generous and inclusive to whole classes, if all students make a concerted effort to meet the criteria.

A pass in English and Maths is essential for students to gain their catering or hospitality qualification at the end of their course. Making maths and English fun and showing students how they are used in everyday professional lives is exactly how to engage and motivate a group of students who have failed the exams in school for one reason or another.

Restaurant James Martin in Manchester is backing this ground-breaking campaign along with Marriott, The Exchange and Giovannis in Cardiff, Edgbaston Boutique Hotel, Fazenda and Entouraj in Birmingham, Calcot Manor in Tetbury and The Dorchester in London as well as Mullion Cove and St Michaels Hotel and Spa in Cornwall.

It is imperative that industry professionals support the education sector to encourage students to attend their GCSE maths and English lessons, on time and with the right attitude to learning to ensure they’re in with the best possible chance of gaining a pass at the end of the year.  There is a huge shortfall of chefs and hospitality professionals and in bolstering this kind of support, employers are wholly supporting the next generation when it counts the most; at the start of their careers, whilst still in education.

This campaign has launched in Birmingham at UCB and will be rolled-out via The Chefs’ Forum Academy in London (West London College), Birmingham (UCB), Manchester (The Manchester College), Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire College), South Wales (Coleg Gwent) and Cornwall (Cornwall College).

The Chefs’ Forum is still looking for further employers to offer a lunch or afternoon tea for a group of fifteen students this January and again after term two, to ensure students’ optimum performance throughout the year.

This is a great partnership between education providers and the industry.  Hospitality employers should be seen as sponsors and supporters of the initiative. It is fantastic that The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation is involved in helping the education sector to overcome a very challenging position.

TOP CELEBRITY CHEFS BACK MEATBALLS MONTH

Top celebrity chefs – including Tom Kerridge, Angela Hartnett, Tom Parker-Bowles, Ken Hom and Chef to the Royal Family, Mark Flanagan – are backing a month-long ‘Meatballs Month’ national campaign which aims to raise money to fund ‘Muscle Dreams’ – transformational experiences for young children with the muscle wasting disease muscular dystrophy.

Meatballs Month is the brainchild of the Muscle Help Foundation (MHF) charity; the campaign aims to ignite the nation’s appetite for meatballs but at the same time encourage the flexing of fundraising muscles by throwing a meatball meal or party during the month of November.

Members of the public can download a kit from www.meatballmonth.com which provides invites, name cards and a fundraising guide to help organise a meatball party/dinner for friends and family whilst raising money for a Muscle Dream experience.

Since it costs just £1,600 to fulfil each experience it is hoped that the initiative will result in the delivery of many more magical moments for children and young people with muscular dystrophy. The standalone website features a host of delicious meatball recipes put together specifically for the campaign by some of the world’s finest chefs which in addition to those listed above also currently include Matthew Williamson (Rudding Park), Ben Tish (The Stafford Hotel & Norma), Hayden Groves (Executive Chef, Baxter Storey), Cyrus Todiwala (Café Spice Namaste), Andrei Lussmann (Lussmanns Fish & Grill Restaurant Group) and Head Chef Francesco Migliorin of Ristorante Frescobaldi.

Meatball party hosts can either choose a celebrity recipe for their party or conjure up their own culinary meatball masterpiece! Guests are urged to make donations – collected either by the party host and submitted or by individuals who can donate online. In addition to raising valuable funds, Meatball Month is also designed to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy, a disease which currently has no cure.

The average lifespan of someone with muscular dystrophy is 22 years old making the need to realise a child’s Muscle Dream all the more compelling – providing a life-changing experience for the beneficiary and a lasting memory for all the family to reflect upon during darker times. All participants are encouraged to share their meatball creations via social media, using the hashtag #meatballmonth.

A number of butchers and restaurants are also putting their weight behind the campaign, selling meatball packs and adding meatball dishes to their menus, and then donating a % of their takings to the charity. Every child’s dream experience is personalised and MHF reports a number of benefits including improved confidence, greater self-esteem, increased sense of hopefulness and a powerful shared identity connecting the recipient with other families living with muscular dystrophy.

Key supporters of the charity’s Muscle Dream initiative include the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. 2020 will see the company host its 10th annual Muscle Dream Driving programme in support of the charity. Next year 10 young people and their families will enjoy an incredible two days at the centre, when the lucky petrol-head recipients from the across the UK will have the opportunity to ‘light-it-up’ on Porsche’s own dedicated track!

Many organisations have given their time and services for free, these include Airbus, Marriott International, Hilton, Tesla and global events agency, BCD Meetings & Events to name a few. Celebrities who have lent their support include Lewis Hamilton, Al Pacino and Ray Mears. Via this campaign, The Muscle Help Foundation (www.musclehelp.com) is aiming to help realise many more Muscle Dream experiences. To date, the charity has delivered 297, leaving a further 360 to go before it reaches its goal of 657, that’s one for every muscle in the human body. As the charity says, that’s the #powerof657.