Ready! Steady! Cook! Inter-college culinary competition returns

Saturday 17 February 2018

Rising star chefs from Highlands College will go head-to-head with their Middlesborough and Farnborough counterparts under the watchful eye of a top chef, as part of Heat, the inter-college Culinary Competition which returns in March.

Last year, Highlands College beat Westminster Kingsway College London and Bradford College (Yorkshire) to whisk the trophy away under the guidance of Michelin star chef Mark Jordan.

This year the Jersey Team will be led by Lee Smith, Head Chef at the Michelin starred restaurant Ormer and Dominic Farrell, Highlands College Chef Lecturer.

Chef Smith commented: “I am really looking forward to leading the Jersey team and working alongside the talent of the future. The Jersey Team won last year so the pressure is on and the competition is of a very high standard, with some of the top colleges in the UK competing.”

Middlesborough will cook under the guidance of Chef Frances Atkins, a fellow of the Masterchefs of Great Britain, and one of only six female Michelin starred chefs in the UK. Chef Charlie Watts, who works at 5-star executive hotel, Penny Hill Park, will be leading the team from Farnborough College. 

Each college will cook a three-course lunch or dinner that will be judged by four top chefs in the UK catering industry on 13 and 14 March at the Highlands Academy Restaurant. Highlands students will be dishing up their yummy creations during a lunchtime service at 12:00 on 14 March. Front of house students from each college will also be judged on their level of service. All services are open to the public and can be booked online.

The judges will include Henri Brosi, Executive Chef at The Dorchester, Stephen Scuffell, Executive Chef at Moran Hotels, Andrew Bennett MBE, Director of Food and Beverage at Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Paul Gayler MBE, Executive Chef at The Lanesborough for 22 years and food consultant.

Heat 2017 Highlights from Freedom Media on Vimeo.

Visiting student chefs also will get a chance to explore the island and will be taken to meet local suppliers to see some of Jersey's best local produce at its source. They will be visiting the Jersey Royal Company, Jersey Dairy, Central Markets and Jersey War Tunnels.

The winners will be announced at a Gala Celebration dinner, hosted by a celebrity chef, on 15 March at St Brelade’s Bay Hotel. Limited Tickets are available to the public by contacting the hotel. 

Eileen Buicke-Kelly, Director – Culinary Arts, Hospitality Studies and Catering Operations at Highlands College said: “Following the success of last year’s event we are very excited to welcome some of the top talent from two outstanding culinary colleges in the UK to compete here in Jersey against our students at the Academy Restaurant at Highlands College. The students competing will all work alongside local well-known chefs, cooking and serving some classical dishes with a modern twist. The team here at Highlands College is looking forward to showcasing what Jersey has to offer with their up and coming chefs and hospitality students.”

Dave Chalk, Jersey Craft Guild of Chefs added: “Following on from the hugely successful Heat 2017, the Craft Guild of Chefs is ready to repeat the show with Heat 2018. At the Craft Guild we believe strongly in the development of the next generation of caterers, which is why we have devised Heat in partnership with Highlands College, PACE and Freedom Media. Jersey is one of the most foodie destinations in Britain, and we are not short of locally produced, reared and caught produce all year round - a selection of which you will taste throughout this competition.”

Pictured: The Jersey team of chefs and front-of-house students with Mark Jordan.