International acclaim for Bournemouth students

Three catering students from Bournemouth and Poole College won international acclaim at this year's Istanbul Gastronomy Festival.

Oliver Lloyd, aged 18, was voted Golden Junior Chef of the Year over 10 other competitors at the four day event in Turkey, meanwhile Calum Craig, aged 17, and Ashley Vigor, 19, picked up gold as Best Young Competitors in the Live Theatre.

Another major feat for the college team, sponsored by Essential Cuisine, was winning bronze in the Salon Culinaire's team Grand Prix, whereby teams of three from eight countries were tasked with cooking a three course meal from a mystery box of ingredients.

In total, the team, made up of learning coordinator and team manager Gary Kilminster, chairman of judges and lecturer Gary Filbey, and students Oliver Lloyd, Calum Craig, Taras Woodward, Ashley Vigor and Jamie Fanger, picked up four gold, four silver and seven bronze medals as well as one merit at the event.

Filbey said: "We had six weeks practice before the competition and competed at the Wessex Salon Culinaire to give the team added experience and practice. As soon as we landed, we had to get to it, working overnight to get the mis en place together for four competitions on the Saturday."

"There were many problems to overcome; not enough kitchen prep time, language problems etc, but the team coped extremely well and were very professional throughout, a real credit."

Essential Cuisine's managing director Nigel Crane commented: "We are all for student chefs developing their skills through competitions, especially when they face the added challenge and pressure of working abroad in an alien environment.

"It adds a new dimension to what they can do and opens up their mind to new ideas and ways of working. We are also pleased and proud that our products did the team justice."

Words: Maria Bracken

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