Courses offered at Chinese chefs' school
WESTMINSTER College has joined forces with the Chinese Community Centre and the London China Town Association to develop a Chinese chefs' school on its Battersea site.
Aimed at chefs either already working in Chinese restaurant kitchens or those wishing to learn Chinese cookery techniques, the 36-week course, which begins on 14 September, will lead to a National Vocational Qualification at level two.
"We believe it to be the first professional course of its kind in London," says Martyn Wagner, head of Westminster College's school of hospitality, leisure and tourism. "Although we have had a lot of interest from Chinese chefs, it is open to all - you don't need to be Chinese to cook Chinese food."
The curriculum, devised by course director Michael Price, covers Chinese cooking methods for meat, fish, soups, vegetables, pasta and rice, as well as hygiene, safety and knife handling.
Students can attend on a day-release basis or for three days a week. Students who require help with the English language will be supported by the college's English as a Second Language facility.
An NVQ in professional Chinese cookery at level three is planned for 2000.
TWO Granada Food Services chefs fought off stiff competition from 14 other finalists to take the group's Chef of the Year titles.
Lloyd Mann, sous chef with Baxter & Platts at Price Waterhouse in London, and Trevor Stagg, head chef with Sutcliffe Catering at Glaxo Wellcome in Greenford, Middlesex, became Junior and Senior Chef of the Year respectively in a four-hour cook-off at Highbury College, Portsmouth, last month.
Their task was to prepare eight covers of a three-course staff restaurant meal, then adapt the menu for two covers suitable for directors' dining. Dishes were judged by a panel including 1998 National Chef of the Year Kevin Viner, of Pennypots restaurant in Falmouth, Cornwall.
Mann's winning menu comprised celery and baby leek terrine with mixed leaves and japonaise dressing; chicken Italiano with spinach and red pepper, black olive mash; and iced tiramisó with summer fruit and citrus nage. Stagg prepared a tuna niáoise and millefeuille of leaves; wrapped pork fillet with vegetable ratatouille and risotto; and a vanilla parfait in a citrus tuile with smoked fruits and a passion fruit essence.
