November 2014

Junior Team England set off from UCB for Culinary World Cup

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The countdown has begun for the Birmingham-based junior team selected to represent England at the Culinary World Cup. 

The five chefs, led by joint team manager and University College Birmingham chef lecturer Gary Goldsmith, face the cook-off of their lives at Expogast 2014 in Luxembourg. They will come up against the best kitchen talent in the world during the five-day culinary competition starting on Saturday (November 22). 

The team has been put through its paces at UCB, which has contributed four members of the five-man team. 

The youngest member is 18-year-old Luke Dcaccia, who is studying a VRQ Level 3 in advanced professional cookery. He will be cooking alongside Culinary Arts Management student Tom Downes, 20, together with Edward Marsh, 21, and Jack Gameson, 19, who both completed their VRQs in the summer. Edward now works as a commis chef at Lucknam Park, Wiltshire, and Jack is a chef de partie at Warwick Castle. 

The final member of the junior team, Craig Bateman, 22, is a chef at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. 

Over the past 12 months, Junior Team England members have undertaken training, master classes and full run-throughs at the national team headquarters at UCB under joint team manager and British Culinary Federation (BCF) committee member Mathew Shropshall.

Shropshall, a chef lecturer at UCB, said: "It has been an honour to be involved with junior team England for Luxembourg over the last 12 months. We are hoping this team performs well at Luxembourg. They are a credit to their parents, employers and country. 

“The opportunity through BCF and UCB to represent your country in a culinary competition is taken very serious by the team and we hope all their hard work over the last 12 months pays off." 

The team has also been supported by UCB’s College of Food dean Neil Rippington and assistant dean John Penn; BCF vice-chairman Lee Corke; and BCF president and UCB governor Peter Griffiths. 

Chef Goldsmith said: “It is great for the lads to get this experience on their CVs. It shows their commitment and underlines their work ethic. We can’t wait to get going now. 

“The team has been together for about nine months and we did a practice run for the BCF Young Chef of the Year awards two weeks ago, which went well, so we are prepared for Luxembourg.”

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