The Competition Heats up for Toque d'Or Finalists

As reported in February, a team of University College Birmingham students have won a place in the 2011 Nestlé Toque d'Or Grand Final.  The most recent stage of this was a heat held at the Nestlé headquarters.  Food Service Lecturer, Andrew Bisconti accompanied the team (pictured) and gave the following overview of the event:

It was an early start with a 6.30am depart from Birmingham, the students were in good spirits as they had been given a brief as to what happened last year.  We arrived at Rashleighs, Nestlé’s headquarters in Maidenhead where we were greeted with a beautiful Georgian house which was acquired in 1954 as Nestlé’s headquarters.

Martin Webster ( Nestlé Professional UK communications manager) and Jean Robinson (Opus Creates) greeted us and escorted the team to a grand lounge where refreshments were waiting, we were the first to arrive and took the opportunity to explore.

Teams form Belfast, Colchester, Thames Valley and Blackpool started to arrive so the heat was on.

Martin briefed the teams on the first days activities, purposefully withholding information for day two.  The first day was going to be spent studying for a City & Guilds Level 2 Nutrition qualification, a course designed by Nestlé in conjunction with City and Guilds and the students would, by the end of the day, be 1 of only 60 students to have taken this qualification in the UK.

Day 2 began with a misty, chilly morning and a journey to a field near Winchester army barracks.  The team were greeted with 6 Mess tents, hot tea and coffee and sausage and bacon butties.  Unusually, they were encouraged to eat first and the reasoning for this soon became apparent.  Near to the coffee table stood an scaffold A frame and a white pick up truck. It quickly dawned on all the teams that an animal would soon be hanging from this.  When the students were suitably stuffed, the brief was given for the days format:

Task 1 – watch as a game warden prepared a Roe Deer that he had shot 4 hours prior

Task 2a – Chefs and Food service to be separated and food service students to be transported to Winchester Barracks

Task 2b – Chef students to use a mess tent to prepare a three course menu from 2 ration packs

Task 3 – Food Service students to serve the evening officers dinner

The day ended on a high, and our team performed in true UCB style – professional, polite, competent and willing.

We'll be reporting back on team UCB's progress throughout the finals.