UCB Team wins British Culinary Federation Challenge

A team of 3 University College Birmingham students recently won the British Culinary Federation 'Student Challenge Cook & Serve Team of the Year'.  The competition sponsored by Brakes Group saw teams create and serve a 3 course menu using Sea Bass for the starter, Gressingham Duck for the main and a non-chocolate based desert.

The UCB team of Chef's Nicholas Welsh and Simona Cohen-Vida and Waiter Kingsley Crocker's menu started with a fillet of sea bass on fennel and artichoke risotto, continued with roasted duck with a cabbage and potato timbale and ended with an apple and almond tart and cinnamon panna cotta.

The menu, which was cooked and served in just 90 minutes, impressed a panel of judges and saw the students win a team trophy and a set of global knives for each of them.

James Armitage, Marketing Director at Brakes group said "This is one of the UK's most demanding competitions for budding chefs and front-of-house staff, with the contestants having to perform in a real pressure-cooker environment.  It gave the students a great insight into the exacting standards of cooking and service, which are required by our top restaurants."