Catering colleges and aspiring chefs across the UK are being urged to enter the Country Range Student Chef Challenge after the deadline was extended to December 18th to allow more time for teams to enter and for them to perfect their menus.
The Country Range Student Chef Challenge, which is run in conjunction with the Craft Guild of Chefs, is the pinnacle for full-time hospitality and catering college students looking to showcase their culinary prowess and creativity in a team under competition conditions, while developing “real life” catering skills and experience.
The challenge requires teams of three full-time catering students to plan, prepare and cook a three-course, four-cover menu in 90 minutes, with the theme for this year focusing on how students can use classic techniques and skills to maximise the use of ingredients and reduce food wastage.
Country Range Brand Manager Vasita Jantabutara said: “The first few months of the college year can be a really busy and stressful time for students and lecturers, so we felt it was the right decision to extend the deadline for the Challenge. Hopefully this will ease the pressure on them and give absolutely everyone the opportunity to be involved. The Challenge is already shaping up to be our best yet, so we’d urge anyone thinking about entering to do so before the deadline passes.”
Country Range Student Chef Challenge
The Country Range Student Chef Challenge is a prestigious culinary competition which has become a firm fixture in the catering industry’s calendar.
Run in partnership with the Craft Guild of Chefs, who provide competition-standard judging and detailed feedback to the students, it has played a huge role in developing young chefs and talent around the UK, with previous winning teams being given the opportunity to compete at the Culinary Olympics and cook for the country’s leading chefs at the Craft Guild of Chefs Annual Awards.
CRSCC 2019/20 Brief
The 2019/20 Challenge will focus on how students can use classic techniques and skills to maximise the use of ingredients and reducing on food wastage. With this in mind, teams of three full-time catering students will be required to plan, prepare and present a three-course, four-cover meal in just 90 minutes. The cost per cover is £8 and the menu must include:
Starter – A flat fish, filleted and a sauce made from the bones. The dish must be served with appropriate garnish and must include one turned mushroom per portion.
Main – Three bone loin of pork, the eye of the meat must be used. The trim is to be used for a separate element e.g. faggot, kebab or pie. The dish must be served with appropriate garnish including starch, vegetable and sauce.
Dessert – A lemon tart with a modern twist.
Applications, Timings and Deadlines
The challenge is now open to student chefs and college lecturers across the UK and Ireland to enter by visiting www.countryrangestudentchef.co.uk. The deadline for entries is December 18th.
Teams will compete in regional heats in the last week of January to the first week of February 2020 before the victorious students face-off in the grand final, which will this year take place at the Hospitality, Catering and Restaurant (HRC) Show at London’s ExCel on March 3rd 2020.
The 2018/19 Challenge Winners
The 2018/19 Challenge saw Alan Coats, Ance Kristone and Andreau Talla help City of Glasgow College win the title for the second consecutive year in a hotly contested final at ScotHot, Scotland’s biggest food, drink and hospitality show. As part of their prize, the talented trio won a unique opportunity to undertake a work experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant, as well as being taken on a foodie tour of London which included a visit to the capital’s iconic Billingsgate Market.
About the Country Range Group
With 25 years of heritage servicing the UK’s innovative foodservice sector, the Country Range Group is made up of 12 independent members:
In addition to offering leading brands, the Group also provides over 800 products, all developed exclusively for professional caterers under the Country Range brand. Covering grocery, chilled, frozen and non-food, Country Range is widely recognised by caterers as a trusted and reliable brand delivering consistent quality and value for money without compromising on taste and flavour.
Website: www.countryrange.co.uk
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COUNTRY RANGE GROUP