Catering Scotland

Scotland has triumphed in one of the country’s most prestigious student chef contests, boasting no fewer than three institutions in the semi-finals of the 2018 Country Range Student Chef Challenge.

Students from Ayrshire, City of Glasgow and North East Scotland colleges will battle it out later this month with 13 others from around the UK for a place in the live grand final at Hotelympia on 7^th March.

The semi-finalists will cook off in intense conditions under the supervision of Craft Guild of Chefs’ judging chairman Chris Basten and challenge organiser Emma Holden of the Country Range Group.

This year’s theme – Around the World in Three Spices – requires teams to use a different fresh or ground spice in each of three courses as part of a three-cover menu prepared in 90 minutes.

Ms Holden said: ‘The paper judging standard increases every year so it’s now up to the teams to deal with the pressure and ensure they do justice to the menus and ingredients they have chosen.’

Chris Basten, Craft Guild of Chefs’ Chairman of Judges, added: ‘Balancing spices in dishes is a tough skill so it’s obvious a lot of testing and preparation has been put into the applications.

‘Congratulations to everyone who applied.’

Now in its 24th year, the annual Country Range Student Chef Challenge represents the ultimate test for full-time hospitality college students looking showcase their culinary skills.

The following 16 teams have made it to the semi-finals later this month:

• Ayrshire College
• City of Liverpool College
• City College Norwich
• City of Glasgow College
• College of West Anglia
• East Kent College
• Gloucestershire College
• Highbury College
• Loughborough College
• Newbury College
• Newcastle College
• North East Scotland College
• SERC (Downpatrick) College
• University of Derby
• Waltham Forrest
• Westminster Kingsway

Visit www.countryrangestudentchef.co.uk  for more information.