City of Glasgow College wins Craft Guild royal canapé contest

The City of Glasgow College has won the Craft Guild of Chefs' royal canapé competition, taking place as part of the guild's 50th anniversary celebrations.

The students, led by their lecturer Gary Maclean, will now join royal chef Mark Flanagan to prepare the canapés for the guild's 50th anniversary party at St James's Palace, taking place on 21 April.

The five-part team included the students Darren Seggie, Lenka Faksova, and Murray Alexander.

Photos by Willie Pike @ChefsConference on Twitter

Their canapé menu included savoury and sweet options, with one using Glazert goat's cheese with salt baked and pickled beetroot; another with braised Puddledub pork cheek with quail's eggs; dashi-cured Scottish salmon with sesame seeds; homemade black pudding with apple pearls; chicken confit and avocado; plus rhubarb custard and crumble for "dessert".

Writing on Twitter, Maclean congratulated his students and thanked the guild for "an unbelievable day" that he would never forget.

Christopher Basten, national chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs, called the competition a "once in a lifetime opportunity" and an "extraordinary experience".

Chef association and industry education champion the Craft Guild of Chefs is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The event at St James's Palace will be one of the highlights in its series of events and competitions taking place as part of the milestone.

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