Aspiring student chefs and front of house staff from St Helens College scooped the top prize in the first ever Battle of the North West – Inter College Cook and Serve Competition. The event took place on Monday 7 July at St George’s Hall in Liverpool, as part of the Business of Food & Drink Festival celebrations.
Catering and hospitality students from colleges across the region were competing to impress diners as well as judges who included Paul Askew, chef at The London Carriage Works Restaurant and Food and Beverage Director for Hope Street Hotel, and John Hollywood, Restaurant Consultant at the UK’s tallest restaurant, Panoramic in Liverpool.
Team effort
The select group of St Helens College catering students put together a delicious set menu to showcase their range of culinary skills and to utilise a selection of specially selected North West produce. Student chefs Dean Evans, Callum Hurle, Stephanie Benham, Lucy Allcock and Amii Edgar produced a five course menu which included an amuse bouche of duck egg custard with bacon and toast soldiers, grilled Hake starter, Sirloin of Beef main, strawberry tart dessert and a selection of delicious petit fours.
Hospitality students Stephanie Birchall, Sophie King, Miranda James and Katie Donnelly were judged throughout the whole of the competition, from the way the tables were dressed and laid to the way they interacted with guests, served the food and drink and answered questions.
Stephanie Birchall, team leader of the hospitality team said “It has been such a great experience and to win 1st place makes it worth all the time and effort. Preparing for the competition has changed my perspective and I feel like it has given me that extra drive to aim even higher. We really came together as a team and we are very proud to represent St Helens.”
The other competitors included L20 Hotel School at Hugh Baird College, The City of Liverpool College and Wirral Metropolitan College. Bronze and Silver awards were given out, before St Helens College were crowned overall winners and presented with the Gold award.