Challenge reveals cooking and hospitality talent
HOSPITALITY and cookery students took part in a competition to test their skills in the kitchen.
Skills Factor was run at Macclesfield College’s Silk Room restaurant.
Hospitality and Professional Cookery students spent the day at the fun and challenging event specially designed to test the skills they had developed on their courses.
Throughout the day, various industry-related challenges were set for the students to undertake with points being awarded for technical skill, presentation and adherence to safe working practices.
Tasks included: knife skills with vegetables and fruit, mashed potato piping, wine pouring, cup cake decorating, cappuccino making, party table presentation, croquembouche display and steak flambé.
Industry experts attended the event as guest judges to help adjudicate the proceedings.
These included Josh Singleton, sous chef at the Lord Clyde gastro pub in Bollington, freelance chef Mark Benthan, and Jamie Murphy from catering equipment suppliers HG Stephenson Ltd, who very kindly donated a set of chef’s knives as prizes for those students who displayed outstanding skills.
The day culminated with an informal presentation ceremony where the students’ efforts were rewarded with certificates and prizes.
Mark Boswell, curriculum manager for Catering and Hospitality, said: “The day was a great opportunity for the students to really put their skills to the test and we saw some exceptional performances.
“The event also helped them to prepare for the forthcoming Welsh National Culinary Championships – an annual event in which Macclesfield College students have enjoyed great success, which we aim to repeat again this year.”