Marking the return of live competition, Compass Group UK & Ireland’s chefs are celebrating after taking home 80 medals at this year’s International Salon Culinaire, the three-day Hotel, Restaurant & Catering show (HRC) at ExCeL London.
Competing against hundreds of chefs, over 30 talented Compass chefs, from across the business, took part in the UK’s largest and most prestigious programme of chef competitions.
Competing in almost 30 different competitions across the three elements: Salon Live – live cooking competitions; Salon Display – static exhibits; and Skills Theatre – live kitchen and service skills competitions for students; the Compass team of chefs achieved an impressive 14 Best in Class awards and three Best Overall awards. In addition, the medal haul included nine Gold, 22 Silver, 21 Bronze, 9 Merit and 2 Hygiene Awards.
Nick Vadis, Culinary Director at Compass Group UK and Ireland, noted, “We’ve all missed the buzz of competitions, so it was special to see our chefs competing at such a high level and picking up so many medals! Our chef’s build-up to Salon Culinaire for months, honing parts of their menus, re-running timings and trying to re-create the perfect dish on the day.
“Investing in our chefs is important at Compass and giving them the opportunity to develop and push themselves at events like Salon Culinaire at HRC is a great vehicle to do so. Salon Culinaire gives chefs confidence, competing helps them develop and improve their skills, as well as presenting them with a great opportunity to challenge themselves, meet other chefs and see first-hand what the standards are within the hospitality world.
“All the skills our chefs learn as part of training and competing, they are then able to bring back to clients and customers that we serve”
Gold Best in Class Awards went to: Woman in Food ambassador and 14forty chef, Nicola Harper in the Restaurant Home Meal Kit competition; Restaurant Associates chef team William May and Tarisa Reid for Tilda Chef Team of the Year; Levy’s Nathan Racey and Andrew D’Amery in Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef Team of the Year; ESS chef Shona Sutherland for her Petit Fours; and ESS’s Shannon Lippiat for her Plant-based 3-course menu.
ESS dominated in the Best Overall awards with Chris McLeod picking up Best Overall Kitchen Larder exhibit and Shona Sutherland taking home both Best Overall Pastry exhibit and Best Overall Senior Display.
Compass Group UK & Ireland is headline partner of Salon Culinaire at HRC and has supported the event for more than 25 years.