Student chefs rise to the challenge

Three young chefs from Glenrothes College have clinched the Watson & Philip UK Student Chef Team Challenge following a cook-off held on the third day of the Scottish Culinary Championships at Scothot, the exhibition taking place this week at Glasgow's SECC. The team, comprising Amy Cunningham, Neil Borthwick and William Boyter, secured their gold medals as they beat off finalists from nine other colleges. The Glenrothes team were coached for the event by lecturer Scott Lyall. Finalists were required to plan, prepare, cook and present a three-course meal for four covers in one hour and forty-five minutes. The Glenrothes team's winning menu featured squab with confited leg, spicy cous cous, curry vinaigrette, pineapple and red pepper chutney and coriander oil; a main course of hot-smoked salmon with sweetcorn custard, Champagne broth, mussel ragout and wilted spinach, tomato and eggplant tart; and a dessert of white chocolate tower with basil ice-cream, rhubarb crumble, berry compote, basil syrup and raspberry coulis. Runners-up in the competition, who were awarded silver medals, were Paul Eardley, Hayley Conroy and Elwood Jackson of Sheffield College (lecturers Mick Burke and Neil Taylor) and Lynn Anderson, Kirsty Gardiner and Sandra Hill of South Lanarkshire College (lecturer David Auchie). Judges included Scottish championships' salon director Tony Jackson and Hotelympia and Hospitality Week salon director Peter Griffiths. For a full report from Scothot, see *Caterer & Hotelkeeper* magazine, 29 March. For reports on the other competition winners from Scothot so far, click on the links below.