February 2017

A sparkling silver service at the NEC for UCB

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A team of young chefs from UCB scooped silver at one of the country’s most prestigious cookery competitions – with individual awards for outstanding achievement. 

The student chefs were praised for their performance at La Parade des Chefs, a fine dining restaurant “takeover” in which trainees serve a three-course gourmet lunch to visitors at the Great Hospitality Show at Birmingham’s NEC. 

Each team comprises six members, five of whom must be aged 23 or under, mentored by a senior chef. They have to cook lunch for 100 guests. 

The UCB brigade comprised Edward Marsh, Jack Gameson, Elliot Lawn, Thomas Kirkby, Greg Evans and Millie Tibbins. VRQ level 3 student Millie also picked up the chairman of judges award for being the best student at the competition. 

Elsewhere, Nathan Lane, mentored by chef Richard Brocklesby, won a gold medal in the live skills theatre for butchery skills. UCB’s pastry team – of Sarah Williams, Angelina Adomo and Ruth Loverock, mentored by chef lecturer Gary Goldsmith – won silver and bronze awards. 

Mathew Shropshall, UCB chef lecturer and culinary team manager, said: “It was a real pleasure to watch students from UCB compete against the best young chefs in the UK. They worked professionally to produce the 100-cover lunch and taking the silver medal, along with Millie Tibbins being named the chairman’s best student, was fantastic.” 

During the three-day competition, UCB students supported the live Staff Canteen area, bakery classes, static classes, live theatre classes, the skills theatre and La Parade des Chefs.  

UCB’s menu for La Parade des Chefs: 

Starter: halibut supreme, crispy seaweed and langoustine bon, shellfish foam, radish and cucumber, romanesco purée, langoustine sauce. 

Main: seared black pepper venison loin, pommes Anna, fennel and ginger purée, sauté cabbage, veal sweetbread boudin, sautéed wild mushrooms, port and rosemary jus lie. 

Dessert: dark chocolate and orange mousse, citrus cake, blood orange sorbet.

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