Three UK college teams in Craft Guild royal canapé cook-off
Teams from three UK colleges are taking part in a cook-off today to win the Craft Guild of Chefs' 50th anniversary canapé competition.
The City of Glasgow College, South Eastern Regional College in Northern Ireland, and the London School of Hospitality & Tourism at the University of West London have all travelled to Buckingham Palace to prepare their canapé entries for tasting by the guild's royal patron, HRH the Countess of Wessex, who will then select a winner.
Led by their lecturer, the winning team will join royal chef Mark Flanagan to prepare the canapés for the guild's 50th anniversary party, which is taking place at St James's Palace on 21 April.
Colleges were invited to submit six canapé recipes as part of their paper applications, with the final shortlist selected from over 30 entries.
National chairman of the guild, Christopher Basten, lauded the opportunity as exciting and wished the teams the best of luck.
He said: "This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and even if they don't win, the teams are going to have such an extraordinary experience preparing their canapés in the Buckingham Palace kitchens and meeting the Countess of Wessex. We look forward to tasting their mini masterpieces."
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.
THE SHORTLISTED COLLEGES' CANAPÉS
The City of Glasgow College, led by Gary Maclean Glazert goats cheese, braised Puddledub pork cheek, dashi cured Scottish salmon, homemade black pudding, chicken confit and avocado, and rhubarb custard and crumble
South Eastern Regional College, led by Michael Gillies Hay smoked and confit Lisarra chicken, St Tola goat cheese, Finnebrogue venison scotch eggs, smoked salmon, rhubarb and Clandeboye estate yoghurt and Valrhona chocolate orange mousse.
The London School of Hospitality & Tourism, led by Peter Cross Confit chicken wing filled with foie gras mousse, smoked and cured venison, goats cheese, tandoori king prawn, blackberry, sloe gin and lemon cheesecake and dark chocolate mousse.
Craft Guild celebrates 50 years with student chef competition >>
Semi-finalists announced for Young National Chef of the Year >>
Craft Guild of Chefs seeks young chef winners for Chef of Year 2014 >>