Our students cook up a storm in a prestigious competition

Three students cooked up a storm when they competed in the finals of a prestigious catering competition.

Elizabeth Fox, Callum Jocelyn and Tom Newby earned a place with their top culinary and service skills.

The trio won college heats to get to the final of the cook and serve challenge, creating and presenting three courses, with matching wines, a cocktail, and petit fours.

A Passion to Inspire involves 24 teams at the heat stage, from colleges from across Britain.

Graham Taylor, Catering Lecturer and Team Leader, said: “Our students demonstrated the culinary passion the judges are looking for.

“They created stylish dishes to win the college heat and produced excellent results in the final. The judges commended them on their culinary skills, team work, and service.

“We are very proud of their achievements.”

The three students have all completed Level 3 Hospitality and Catering courses. Tom is now a Level 3 business student.

The A Passion to Inspire finals were this year held at West Suffolk College, where the CRC team competed against learners from Colchester Institute, the College of West Anglia, Chelmsford College, and the hosts, West Suffolk College, who ultimately won the competition.

The team expressed their thanks to their Chef mentors Sebastian Mansfield and Chris Le Vien from Corpus Christi College, and Bradley Dorrington their front of house mentor for their support.

“It was a privilege for the team to have had the opportunity to work with them, to stage in their kitchen and to benefit from their many years’ experience in the industry,” Graham said.

A Passion to Inspire was founded by chef mentor Murray Chapman.

The events is a non-profit making, voluntary initiative, developed to bring education and industry closer together.

The original format was a competition with a fun and supportive element, to nurture, encourage and support students, and give them belief in, and a passion for, their chosen career.

The competitions are open to all students at any level and on any course – including front of house and kitchen.

Students, colleges and lecturers have the opportunity to meet some of the industry’s top chefs, restaurateurs and hoteliers.

To date, the initiative has involved more than 145 students and many lecturers.

When Murray is not running A Passion to Inspire, he advises and supports chefs in developing their career paths. He previously worked as head chef for Country House Hotels and is an active member of the Master Chefs of Great Britain.