September 2025
College of food trio celebrate wins at UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year awards
By Sean Madden
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A team of students from University College Birmingham made the grand final of this year’s UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year Awards, winning trophies across three categories.
Kamran Mehmood, Alisha Lad and Sanskar Jajo joined teams from four other colleges in the national final, held at at Sheffield College.
The ceremony first took place in 2012 and brings together teams from universities and colleges across the UK. The students from Birmingham College of Food were given the daunting task of hosting a number of guests and judges in a full, live restaurant service.
Using their skills, knowledge and expertise, they were able to rise to the challenge, scooping the awards for Seafood from Scotland, Riedel Wine Experience, and the Best Use of English Lamb.
The team was comprised of two chefs, Kamran and Alesha, and one front-of-house staff member, who took on the role of both service and sommelier, Sanskar. All three are undergraduate students on the Culinary Arts Management BA (Hons) degree.
In the highly-pressurised environment of the restaurant, front-of-house staff were charged with dressing tables and stations, completing all table service, including wine selection and designing and crafting the look of the menu, as well as greeting and attending to guests while liaising with kitchen staff.
The day began with a kitchen skills challenge, where each team member was required to fillet a lemon sole in preparation for the main competition. The teams also prepared a salmon mousse for four people and a chive butter sauce, all to be served directly to the judges.
Simultaneously, a Barista Challenge saw the service staff serve judges a cappuccino, espresso, and a signature coffee of their choice before preparing the wine choices for the main event.
Behind the scenes, the chefs were tasked with the creation of a 3-course menu. A team of judges led by Vicky Endersen of MSK Ingredients stood by to observe the chefs in action, monitoring their disciplines, skills and performance, in particular with regards food waste and sustainability, before tasting the completed dishes.
After this, the teams skills were put into practice and their ability to thrive in the fast-paced live restaurant was tested, as the service was rolled out to the awaiting guests.
All teams and mentors selected for the grand final were given a chance to wind down after the competition, and were awarded complementary places at the Skills for Chefs Conference, which included accommodation, networking events, a Gala Awards Dinner, and the chance to attend "An Evening With Aktar Islam", where the famous Birmingham chef and owner of Michelin-starred Opheem discussed his life and career, and gave some professional tips.
Anthony Perry, Lecturer in Culinary Arts Management, was full of praise for the trio: "They demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the competition, which significantly boosted their confidence," he said.
"Throughout their journey, the students have been a credit to University College Birmingham, consistently displaying professionalism, determination, and unwavering commitment to the competition."
Read about the wide range of courses available at Birmingham College of Food.
"This outstanding achievement reflects the effectiveness of University College Birmingham's degree programmes, and reinforces the institution's reputation for developing competent professional graduates."
In pictures: UCB at Young Restaurant Team of the Year
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