Wilkinson scoops British Meat prize
For the second year running Marc Wilkinson, head chef at the Latymer restaurant in Surrey’s Pennyhill Park hotel, has won the 2003 British Meat Hotel/Restaurant Chef of the Year award.
This year he impressed the judges, including Gidleigh Park’s Michael Caines and Caterer’s Amanda Afiya, with a dish of carved loin of lamb layered with parmesan glazed fennel, crisp sweetbread fritter and a warm Earl Grey jelly. His choice displayed a range of culinary skills, which he pulled off in the 90 minutes of cooking time. “The dish demonstrated an understanding of flavours and balance of ingredients,” commented Caines.
Nestlé Business Development chef Steve Love has garnered British Meat’s 2003 Development Chef of the Year title. Like Wilkinson, he also used lamb as his central ingredient.
His trio of lamb with a hot toddy sauce impressed the judging panel which included the Dorchester’s executive chef, Henry Brosi. The trio comprised a cannon of lamb on Irish champ, home-made faggot on a bed of beetroot, and crispy aromatic lamb shoulder on a bed of leeks. The toddy had the obligatory shot of whisky blended with orange, veal jus and honey. “It was the most technically complex dish in the final. The combination of textures and flavours really hit the spot,” said Brosi.
Academy names awards finalists
The Academy of Culinary Arts has confirmed the line-up for the finals of the 2003 Annual Awards of Excellence. Split into three categories – chefs, pastry chefs and waiters – the competition is aimed at catering professionals under the age of 26.
Instead of awarding first, second and third places, the Annual Awards of Excellence rewards all candidates achieving 70% and above.
Competing in the service finale on the 12th April at London’s Le Gavroche will be: Nicolas Bouffay, Le Gavroche; Cedric Orban, Chewton Glen, Hampshire; Darren Neilan, Restaurant One-O-One, London; Rodolphe Bertin, Alemeida, London; Alexandre Pons, Orrery, London; Suzanne Drinkely, the Square, London; Sophie Metais, Gleneagles, Auchterarder; Ruben Moratinos, Gordon Ramsey at Claridge’s, London; Ashley Shaw, Claridge’s hotel, London; Julie Leblanc, Le Colombier, London; Charles Goupilleau and Rose Marie Jourdan, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire.
Northern colleges in salon battle
Students from several of the UK’s northern colleges are preparing to do battle at their own salon culinaire-style competition. The Catering Managers Association Student Competition, organised by the North-eastern branch of the organisation and sponsdered by Nestlé Food Services, takes place at St James’ Park (home of Newcastle United FC) on 26 March.
Seven live classes are planned, testing flambé, pastry and butchery skills as well as knife adeptness. The latter, judged according to Victor Ceserani’s Practical Cookery (the “student’s bible”), lasts 20 minutes and judges, among other things, competitors’ ability to brunoise root vegetables.
Seven colleges, primarily from the North-east, have already confirmed they will be entering students. They are Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Durham, Darlington and Derwentside colleges. Chairman of the judges Douglas Jordan is also keen to get colleges from the North-west and Scotland involved.
For further information call Douglas Jordan on 0191 274 0422