Young chefs win Silver Medal

Two young chefs from Sidney Sussex College won a Silver Medal at the UK’s top culinary event in London on 28th February 2010. Phillip Crouch and Brian Girdlestone were competing in the Essential Cuisine Masterclass at the International Hotelympia exhibition. The two chefs had only 60 minutes to prepare and serve a 3-course menu under the glare of the media and the eagle eye of some the world’s top chefs.

The menu they presented was:

Veloute of Pea with Coconut Foam & Godminster Cheese Straws

Shellfish Open Lasagne

Rack of Denham Castle Lamb with Puy Lentils

Baby Leaf Spinach

Roasted Pear and Black-pudding with a Lamb Jus

The judges included the Executive Head Chef of Claridges and Kevin Viner the previous National Chef of the Year.

The Sidney Sussex team complimented their Silver Medal by also winning the best Hygiene Award. They were also awarded a Certificate of Merit for their entry in the Figgio Masterclass.

Phillip Crouch said ‘It was great to win a medal at such a prestigious competition. Our Head Chef, Stephen Mather was supposed to compete but a knee injury prevented him from taking part so we had to step up at the last minute. The pressure of competing at the highest level was intense but the Head Chef’s training kicked in and we were able to get every detail exactly right.’

The pair of Chefs were part of the Sidney Sussex team that have won the Cambridge College’s Culinary Competition for the third year running.

This is an archived news story, first posted in 2010.