Catering student Daniel Waldock from Thames Valley University has won the McCain Signature Dish Competition 2009, fighting off competition from four other finalists and scooping a £2,000 prize.
Runners up in the live cook off last weekend (13th June) at Thames Valley University were Paula Wiles from Thanet College; Matthew Jackson from Llangoed Hall, Beacon and Sebastian Price, Crown Moran Hotel, London. Each won a prize of £750. The fourth runner up was Mark Cody from Liverpool Community Colleague who received gift vouchers.
Waldock’s winning menu consisted of tea smoked salmon trout on a caramelised maple syrup endive, McCain Hot and Spicy Baby Corn and McCain Rosti tart Tatin, with a tempura oyster and wilted posse, served with an orange caramel and salsa verde.
This was followed by a main course of Essex pork tenderloin coated in a sage mousse wrapped in crisped Denhay ham, served on a bed of curly kale and sautéed Jerusalem artichokes, with sage seasoned McCain Beer Battered Onion Rings, sage crisps, fennel foamed beans and a cider jus.
He said: “Competing in the McCain Signature Dish Competition has been fantastic experience. I’m thrilled to have won first place. It’s been great to meet and receive feedback from a really experienced panel of judges and McCain.”
The competition was judged by a panel of chefs, including Craft Guild of Chefs member Mathew Shropshall, Bill Farnsworth, the former director of catering studies at University College Birmingham, Richard Brocklesby, chef lecturer at University College Birmingham and Ben Bartlett, food development manager, Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises.
Shropshall said: "The McCain Signature Dish competition has been the first real test for many of these young chefs to create a top quality menu under real pressure. The competitors have faced a real challenge to be inventive and create something special – a lesson they will take with them into their future careers. McCain‘s commitment to the foodservice industry and its future stars is fantastic and appreciated particularly during difficult times for the industry.”