Student Chef Competition

The overall  aim of the Rotary Student Chef Competition is to motivate and encourage young chefs in their chosen career.  It provides them with the valuable experience of having to cook under time constraints and how to present their dishes.  The students create their own menus within the given terms and are judged by people other than the tutors.

The 10th Rotary Student Chef Competition was held at the Catering Department of Swindon College at North Star Avenue.   This year there were 15 teams of 2 students and the terms of this year’s competition were as follows. 

• 2 Students per team
• 30 minutes to set up and 2 hours to produce a 3 course ‘Fine Dining Meal’ for 2 to include:
• 2 portions of a Starter which must be Vegetarian
• 2 portions of a Main Course which must be Chicken (any cut)
• 2 portions of a Dessert which must be a Sweet Pastry Tart.  
• All food items must be presented on a table including a Printed Menu
• Health and Food Safety to be adhered to at all times
• Start 9.30, Judging 11.30 - 12.00, Prize-giving 12.15

The judges were two members of our Club and two professional chefs.   The standard of the entries was very high again this year making their task even more difficult but at 12.15pm the winners were announced and the prize-giving began.  Terry Williams, President of our Rotary Club, was on hand to do the presentations.

1. First place was awarded to Sian Holt and Bradley Gomes and their prize was a 3.5” and a 5” Chef’s knife, together with a whet stone.
2. Jakob Witts and Lewis Dowell were the runners up and their prizes were a 3.5” Chef’s knife each and a whet stone.
3. In third place were Ganesh Rana, and Fletcher Brown. They were each presented with a 3.5” Chef’s knife.

This year there was also a special award donated by Trevor and Christine Cook.  It was won by Jack Stanley.