12th April 2013
November 2007: Winning mix
The first heat of the Knorr National Chef of the Year and a host of new competition classes promises to make the 2008 Wessex Salon Culinaire bigger and better than ever
The Wessex Salon Culinaire has become one of the UK's largest competition forums with more than 60 classes taking place during the two day event from March 11-12 as part of the Bournemouth Hotel & Catering Show.
The biggest crowd pleaser at the show however will no doubt be the first semi final heat of the Knorr National Chef of the Year, which will take place on March 12. “It's a great coup for the salon and we expect it to bring in the crowds,” says salon director Stephen Scuffell. “I think the Wessex is an ideal place for it. Apart from Hotelympia it is the biggest salon around and provides a southern base for the competition. A lot of the judges for the Chef of the Year are already involved at Bournemouth, and I'm involved in both events too, so it makes a lot of sense.”
Despite having grown in size and stature over the years, the salon remains focused on providing chefs from all sectors and all levels of ability with an opportunity to meet and compete with one another – from experienced chefs showcasing their craft skills to first time competitors learning the secrets of success.
“The Wessex Salon Culinaire has grown in strength year on year and provides a fantastic platform for chefs to be recognised on a wider scale and promote the excellent work they are doing. It is now established as a training ground and we have devised a very exciting programme that has something to suit everyone,” says Scuffell.
A number of hot and cold live classes have been designed to attract newcomers to the 2008 event, giving inexperienced competitors the chance to learn and develop competition skills. “We always try to make it a friendly salon, somewhere people can get into competitions, where they can approach the judges for advice and feedback,” adds Scuffell.
Fruit and vegetable carving classes, first introduced at the 2007 salon, proved a great success and so a class on turning vegetables has also been added for 2008. “The vegetable cutting was really successful last time – we had hundreds of entries. We have learnt that time and expense can be an issue for some colleges and these competitions are sympathetic to that. They don't have to spend a lot on equipment and it just gives the students a chance to get involved.”
The Wessex Challenge is another new class, offering a twist on the classic mystery basket format where each contestant will have 30 minutes to create two different cold starters and two different cold desserts from a surprise selection of ingredients. “Traditionally, mystery baskets are always done in the hot kitchen, but the Wessex Challenge is in the cold kitchen,” explains Scuffell. “I believe it's the first time it's been done like this. There's no cooking. It's aimed at anyone and gives competitors a crack at a mystery basket without the pressure of the hot kitchen.”
Firm favourites will also be returning to the salon, such as the Triathlon, which tests skills across all three-competition disciplines – the hot live, cold live and static display. Having proved a great success when it was introduced in 2007, and with limited spaces in the hot kitchen, chefs are being urged to get their entries in for this early on.
Sponsored by Knorr and the Bournemouth & Poole College, the 2008 salon will also include top competitions such as the Wessex Shield Challenge and the Caterer & Licensee Student Chef of the Year, and underlining the importance of front of house skills, the General Wine Company will for the first time be hosting a wine and food matching competition as well as free seminars and demonstrations on the subject.
Another first for the salon will be the regional final of the Aramark Southern Academy Seafood Challenge, and chefs from across all divisions of the contract caterer are invited to attend the salon to show their support, or to enter themselves.
The biggest crowd pleaser at the show however will no doubt be the first semi final heat of the Knorr National Chef of the Year, which will take place on March 12. “It's a great coup for the salon and we expect it to bring in the crowds,” says salon director Stephen Scuffell. “I think the Wessex is an ideal place for it. Apart from Hotelympia it is the biggest salon around and provides a southern base for the competition. A lot of the judges for the Chef of the Year are already involved at Bournemouth, and I'm involved in both events too, so it makes a lot of sense.”
Despite having grown in size and stature over the years, the salon remains focused on providing chefs from all sectors and all levels of ability with an opportunity to meet and compete with one another – from experienced chefs showcasing their craft skills to first time competitors learning the secrets of success.
“The Wessex Salon Culinaire has grown in strength year on year and provides a fantastic platform for chefs to be recognised on a wider scale and promote the excellent work they are doing. It is now established as a training ground and we have devised a very exciting programme that has something to suit everyone,” says Scuffell.
A number of hot and cold live classes have been designed to attract newcomers to the 2008 event, giving inexperienced competitors the chance to learn and develop competition skills. “We always try to make it a friendly salon, somewhere people can get into competitions, where they can approach the judges for advice and feedback,” adds Scuffell.
Fruit and vegetable carving classes, first introduced at the 2007 salon, proved a great success and so a class on turning vegetables has also been added for 2008. “The vegetable cutting was really successful last time – we had hundreds of entries. We have learnt that time and expense can be an issue for some colleges and these competitions are sympathetic to that. They don't have to spend a lot on equipment and it just gives the students a chance to get involved.”
The Wessex Challenge is another new class, offering a twist on the classic mystery basket format where each contestant will have 30 minutes to create two different cold starters and two different cold desserts from a surprise selection of ingredients. “Traditionally, mystery baskets are always done in the hot kitchen, but the Wessex Challenge is in the cold kitchen,” explains Scuffell. “I believe it's the first time it's been done like this. There's no cooking. It's aimed at anyone and gives competitors a crack at a mystery basket without the pressure of the hot kitchen.”
Firm favourites will also be returning to the salon, such as the Triathlon, which tests skills across all three-competition disciplines – the hot live, cold live and static display. Having proved a great success when it was introduced in 2007, and with limited spaces in the hot kitchen, chefs are being urged to get their entries in for this early on.
Sponsored by Knorr and the Bournemouth & Poole College, the 2008 salon will also include top competitions such as the Wessex Shield Challenge and the Caterer & Licensee Student Chef of the Year, and underlining the importance of front of house skills, the General Wine Company will for the first time be hosting a wine and food matching competition as well as free seminars and demonstrations on the subject.
Another first for the salon will be the regional final of the Aramark Southern Academy Seafood Challenge, and chefs from across all divisions of the contract caterer are invited to attend the salon to show their support, or to enter themselves.