WATCH: Jersey college serves up success on plate

Saturday 17 March 2018

A Jersey college has won a top culinary award for the second successive year.

A team of students from Highlands College catering department beat two other top UK colleges – Middlesbrough and Farnborough – this week, to retain the prestigious Heat title in a tightly fought competition.

Each college – headed by a high profile chef from their region - cooked a three-course lunch or dinner that was judged by four top chefs in the UK catering industry. Front of house students were also judged on their level of service.

The winner was announced at a gala meal at the St Brelade's Bay Hotel.

Highlands College’s award-winning meal began with an Amuse Bouche – a single bite-size starter – which was a Jerusalem Artichoke; a fish course - black bream tartar, with miso (fermented soya beans), apple, dashi (a Japanese soup), and radish; and a main course - guinea fowl, celeriac and parsley puree, herb gnocchi and leg fricassee (a dish of stewed or fried pieces of meat served in a thick white sauce), with wild garlic.

Pictured: Highlands College's award-winning starter (credit Freedom Media).

For vegetarians there was butternut squash voloute (sauce), blue cheese tortellini, with walnuts and apple. Herb gnocchi, with wild garlic, and king oyster mushrooms. And pineapple, passion fruit, and mango salad with a coconut sorbet.

For dessert the students served up mango and yoghurt delice, glazed pineapple, coconut sorbet, and passion fruit.

Pictured: the sweet taste of success. The meal ended with a mango and yoghurt device, glazed pineapple, coconut sorbet and passion fruit (credit Freedom Media).

To finish off there was a single origin Ethiopian coffee, and a selection of Birchall speciality teas.

Lee Smith – head chef at the Michelin starred restaurant Ormer – who led the Jersey team – was full of praise for the students: “it was such a privilege working with the Highlands students. They did a fantastic job, both in the kitchen and front of house and we are so thrilled to have won. All of the competitors from Farnborough and Middlesbrough were incredibly talented and I want to congratulate everyone involved.”

Despite its success Jersey’s Highlands College didn’t have it all its own way – Farnborough College won the award for Excellence in Service, and Middlesbrough won the award for outstanding flavours.

Organisors say they’d like to stage the event again next year. Will Jersey make it three in a row?