Following some serious deliberation by our esteemed panel of judges, we’re delighted to announce the six talented teams who have made it through to the final of the prestigious Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2023.
Run in partnership with the Craft Guild of Chefs, the six teams to make the Country Range Student Chef Challenge Grand Final are:
• Ayrshire College
• Bishop Burton College
• Cambridge College
• Loughborough College
• Westminster Kingsway College
• West Suffolk College
This year’s much-anticipated live final will take place at the Hotel, Restaurant and Catering show at Excel London on Tuesday 21st March 2023.
Around The World In Three Courses
In this years final, each team of three talented chefs will be tasked with recreating their three-course, four-cover menu within 90 minutes under the watchful eyes of the judges and a live audience at the HRC. Carefully designed in line with the NVQ syllabus to assess both classical and modern cooking techniques, the theme for this year’s Challenge is ‘Around the World’ with Mexico the focus for the starter, Africa for the main, and Australia for the dessert.
Each of the finalists will be competing for the coveted title of Country Range Student Chef Challenge winner and prizes, which this year include a Flint & Flame knife, an overnight stay and meal at a Michelin star restaurant, and an experience working at the same restaurant.
Lead Judge Chris Basten of the Craft Guild of Chefs said:
“The standard of entries for the Challenge was once again fantastic with some real thought and consideration going into the menus. The theme was created to test the students and they’ve responded magnificently with some creative dishes that I can’t wait to see come to life in the HRC kitchens. My advice to all the students now in the lead up to the grand final is to practice, practice, practice as failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
Don’t Miss The Live Event!
The long-running Country Range Student Chef Challenge provides full time hospitality and catering college students with the perfect platform to improve cooking skills, knowledge and technique, while developing real life experience under pressure and a real-life competition environment.
Emma Holden, Country Range Group Head of Marketing and Challenge Organiser, said:
“Our excitement levels are now building as the finalists are announced and I can’t wait to see their finished menus and dishes in the Grand Final. A huge congratulations to the student chefs and colleges who have made the final.”
With the grand final competition scheduled for 10:00 on the second day of the HRC show it is a great opportunity for anyone attending the event to witness first-hand the excitement of live culinary competition!
