AFW launches 2010 Gastronomy Team of the Year competition

The Academy of Food & Wine (AFW has called for better communication between front-of-house and back-of-house teams, as it launches its 2010 Gastronomy Team of the Year competition.

“It’s vital that there is effective communication between the front-of-house team and the kitchen as it’s the only way customers will receive truly impressive service and get the best food and wine matches possible,” said Nick Scade, chairman of the professional training body for front-of-house service. “The service in many restaurants often suffers through lack of simple communication – it’s vital that at all times one team knows what the other is doing.”

Now in its second year, the Gastronomy Team of the Year competition is designed to highlight the importance of a good working relationship between kitchen and front-of-house staff.

Entries are invited from chef/waiter teams from restaurants of any size and style, who will be asked to impress a panel of judges with the planning and serving of a two-course meal with accompanying wines, with careful consideration of ingredients, seasonality, balance of flavours and a choice of wines that genuinely complement the food. 

This year’s competition is held in association with food and drink campaign Discover the Origin, the campaign to educate food and wine professionals about the provenance and origin of five Discover the Origin PDO products: Parma Ham; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; Burgundy wines; Port; and Douro Valley wines. 

The teams will be asked that their choice of dishes include one of the two PDO ingredients, with their own selection of accompanying PDO wines.

The best team from each of the five regions – the South, London, Wales and the Midlands, the North, and Scotland - will compete during a ‘cook and serve’ final on 19 July 2010 at Westminster Kingsway College, London.

The winning team will receive a 10-day trip courtesy of Discover the Origin to the three regions involved including Burgundy, Parma and the Douro Valley to deepen their understanding of the history and provenance behind the products in the PDO campaign.

Contact the Academy of Food & Wine on 020 8661 4646 for an entry form, or download a copy from the AFWS website here. The closing date for entries is 26 February, 2010.

Gastronomy Team of the Year competition launched >>

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By Rosie Birkett

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