Delos Prawns – Culinary Showcase at West London College
In a spectacular celebration of aquaculture expertise, culinary innovation, and education, West London College recently hosted an unforgettable showcase featuring premium Delos Seafood prawns, sourced sustainably from Indonesia.
Fifteen celebrated chefs from various sectors within London’s vibrant food scene collaborated with aspiring student chefs to craft a range of innovative dishes that highlighted the versatility and quality of these premium, high-welfare prawns.
DELOS Seafood’s Head of Corporate Strategy, Astrid Handari, was delighted to see so many top chefs creating a wonderful and delicious array of different prawn dishes with her product, she said
“There are prawns, and then there’s Delos prawns. We’re confident that our market-leading practices for both our prawns and the people behind the production are enabling us to produce the finest quality warm-water prawns available in the UK today. Furthermore, our meticulous management of every element throughout the supply chain—from the diet, water quality, health management, and harvest process—has been carefully monitored to ensure the finest quality of our prawns.”
The event featured chefs from various sectors: Contract catering, event catering, the hotel sector, luxury hospitality, fine dining, education and freelance chefs.
Here’s a closer look at the standout dishes crafted by the chefs and students during the event:
Sean Simmonds – Culinary Director, Graysons
Spicy Delos King Prawn Vietnamese-Style Paper Rolls
Sean’s bold creation with rice paper rolls filled with delicately spiced prawns with fresh red chilli, vermicelli, and fresh herbs, paired with a tangy dipping sauce.
Sean said
“I have been really impressed with the quality of DELOS Prawns today, they were very tasty and really fresh. I am looking forward to getting the prawns into the kitchens at Graysons venues to work on some delicious recipes. It has also been a privilege to work with Level 3 Student, Katy Murdoch, she really impressed me today and I will certainly be inviting her to come for some work experience with Graysons, she showed excellent promise and really enjoyed making and eating our Vietnamese-style paper rolls!”
Chanaka Fernando – Global Chef, Buddha Bar
Panko Coated Delos Prawns, Dragon Mayo, Lime, Pickled Cucumber
Crispy panko-coated prawns served with a fiery dragon mayo and bright citrus notes, complemented by the crunch of pickled cucumber.
Chanaka or ‘Chef Chunky’ really enjoyed cooking with Delos prawns and was particularly impressed with the flavour and preservation of the quality of the prawns. He is looking forward to putting them on the menu at his exciting new opening in Mayfair – Watch this space!
Charlie attended to witness the innovation first-hand and praised DELOS Seafood prawns for their sustainability and non-use of eye ablation, a controversial practice in shrimp farming.
Charlie said,
“This is a great sign for the prawn farming industry. At Direct Seafood, we place huge emphasis on responsible sourcing from high welfare fish and seafood producers. I have been really impressed with Delos prawns today and will be sharing all of the responsible value chain management information with the wider team.”
Rafael Ferreira Cardoso – Head Chef, Osbourne Clarke (BaxterStorey)
Delos King Prawn and Lemongrass Dumpling Tossed in a Galangal Sweet Chilli Sauce
This vibrant dish combined aromatic dumplings with the zing of galangal and a sweet chilli glaze.
Patrice St Yves – Chef Patron, Le Gobble
“Oil Down” Delos King Prawn & Turmeric Bisque, Cromesquis, Sea Grapes Caviar
A luxurious blend of traditional Caribbean flavours and fine dining finesse, finished with delicate sea grape caviar.
The salty flavour of the sea grapes perfectly complimented Delos prawns. Patrice was very happy with the results achieved with Delos prawns and would like to feature them on the menu in his high-end events.
Stephen McClarty – Freelance Chef
Northern Thai Khao Soi with Delos Prawn Dumplings
Rich and aromatic, this Northern Thai-inspired curry was elevated with flavourful prawn dumplings.
Stephen said
“Delos prawns worked really well in my dish today, they were beautifully succulent and held their form perfectly. I’m really looking forward to creating more dishes with them.”
Rob Grist – Executive Chef at South Place Hotel
Delos King Prawn Carpaccio
A masterclass in minimalism, this dish showcased the prawns’ natural sweetness, enhanced with subtle citrus and herb accents.
Rob said
“DELOS prawns are a fantastic product to work with, they are very versatile and have a great texture with a hint of sweetness – the perfect prawn to create my king prawn carpaccio.”
Santo Pate – Head Chef, Norma
Tagliolini Delos Prawn
his Italian-inspired dish highlighted fresh pasta paired with perfectly cooked prawns in a delicate sauce.
Leon Pereira – Head Chef, Hilton Olympia
Butter-Poached Delos Prawn, Celery Root and Potato Dumplings
A luxurious, velvety combination that showcased refined European flavours.
Michael Wood – Head Chef, Bank of England (BaxterStorey)
Kataifi Delos King Prawn Sushi Roll
Crispy, golden kataifi encased plump prawns, adding texture and flair to this sushi-inspired dish.
Jeremy Bloor – Executive Chef, Harvey Nichols at OXO Tower
Delos Prawn Chilli and Ginger Gyozas, Coconut Slaw, Mango and Mint Vinaigrette
A fusion of Asian flavours and tropical vibrancy, this dish was a crowd-pleaser.
Alvin Contawe – Freelance Chef “Open Sushi Roll” Blanched Delos King Prawns with Yuzu Truffle Mayo and Sweet Soy Reduction
A modern take on sushi with delicate prawns and a bold, umami-packed mayo.
The event was more than just a celebration of culinary talent—it was a learning platform and experience for the students at West London College. Working alongside these chefs provided them with invaluable insights into the industry, from mastering technical skills to appreciating the importance of sourcing sustainable ingredients.
“DELOS Seafood is proud to support events that inspire the next generation of chefs while promoting welfare and sustainability,” Astrid continued. “DELOS prawns are a testament that delicious dishes, welfare and responsible sourcing can go hand in hand.”
The dishes presented not only demonstrated the culinary excellence of DELOS prawns but also underscored the value of collaboration between industry leaders and educational institutions.
As attendees sampled the creations, the atmosphere buzzed with inspiration and the promise of a brighter, more sustainable future in food.
From Asian-inspired delicacies to European classics and fusion cuisine, the chefs and students showcased one undeniable truth: quality ingredients combined with creativity yield endless possibilities.
Interested chefs can learn more or request samples of DELOS prawns by contacting Astrid at astrid@delosseafood.co.uk or visit their website www.delosseafood.co.uk
