Fiercely-fought Cook and Serve Challenge won by UCB for second year running

Students Samuel Reynolds, Connor Smith and Georgia Wheatley have taken the crown at the British Culinary Federation’s (BCF) Cook and Serve Challenge 2018, the second year in a row UCB has won the prestigious competition.

Hosted at UCB, the final consisted of six teams from catering colleges across the country, who battled it out to win two titles, Best Kitchen Team and Best Front of House.

With Level 3 Professional Cookery students Sam and Connor fighting off stiff competition to win the Best Kitchen Team trophy, Georgia Wheatley, who studies Food and Beverage Service, was not to be left behind, winning Best Front of House in a second victory for UCB.

Teams were challenged to produce four covers of three courses of their own choice, with two served to diners, one for judging and one for an official photograph.

While chefs were judged on the quality and presentation of their food, waiters were scrutinised on table presentation, greeting and communication.

Mentored by chef lecturer Richard Dutton, Connor, Sam and Georgia’s prizes were an R2 tabletop cutter, a stick blender, a set of chef knives from Contacto, as well as a competition trophy and a framed certificate in honour of their win.

The winning menu was:

Starter: sea bass, buttered lobster, English asparagus and mandarin sauce

Main course: breast of Barbary duck, Lyonnaise potatoes, savoy cabbage, vichy carrots and sauce Grand Veneur

Dessert: Manjari chocolate mousse, passion fruit, citrus sorbet, chocolate crack and salted caramel