Chef news

At his third attempt, 25-year-old Matthew Gentle walked off with the top prize in the Grand Final of contract caterer High Table's Star Culinaire '98 competition, held at Butlers Wharf Chef School, Docklands, London.

Gentle, directors' chef at City of London solicitors Norton Rose, has been a finalist in the competition every year since it began in 1996.

During the cook-off, Gentle and his four fellow finalists were required to produce a meal from a mystery box of ingredients which included turbot and red snapper fillets, jumbo scallops, Swiss chard, baby red peppers, mizuna and caul fat. They had 90 minutes, including 30 minutes' preparation time, in which to cook their meals.

Gentle's winning dish - roasted turbot, lyonnaise potato crust with Swiss chard and red wine jus - won him the Star Culinaire Trophy, a week at the Mosimann Academy, The Rock Pool Cookery Book by Neil Perry and a set of five Global knives.

The judges, who were looking for harmony of flavours, work and hygiene methods, originality and presentation, included Philip Howard, head chef and co-owner of The Square restaurant, London, and senior members of the High Table Star Culinaire committee.

A coconut cream powder is the latest addition to the Asian Home Gourmet range of spice pastes available from Leathams Foodservice.

The product becomes a cream within seconds of being mixed with hot water. It contains no MSG, preservatives or artificial colours and is pre-packed in foil bags with a shelf-life of two years. It is supplied in 5 x 500g batches.

PRICE: £3.18 for 500g

AVAILABLE FROM: Leathams Foodservice 0171-703 7031

Dahle (01582 702602) has asked us to clarify the fact that its new display boards - Sellerboards - are suitable for interior use only and cannot be used outdoors (Caterer & Hotelkeeper 14 May).