London Chefs win award

Three chefs from Royal Holloway, University of London were awarded bronze for their skills in designing and producing a four course fine dining menu in a national competition where competitors from universities and colleges from all over the UK took part.

Paulraj Peter, Gary Smith and Dale Oxenham went head to head with other chefs in The University Caterers Organisation ( TUCO ) two-day national competitions to compete for the coveted award.

The teams had two hours to prepare a four-course meal that included an amuse bouche, starter, main course and dessert. Royal Holloway’s award-winning menu consisted of deep fried goats’ cheese risotto, smoked haddock ravioli with caviar butter sauce, breast of gressingham duck with caraway cabbage, fondant potato and plum star anise Sauce and Poached Pears with Chocolate and Thyme Ice Cream to finish.

The College’s chefs were delighted to be recognised and their prize was presented at the awards dinner created by the British Culinary Federation and Combined Services Culinary Arts Team.

“The standards reached in the competition showed that we can compete with any other sector of the industry,” said David Chapman, Head of Catering.“Our team can feel truly proud of their achievement. Other competing teams worked solely on their competition menus, whilst our own team continued with their day jobs in providing nourishing meals for our own students