East Riding College had a cook off at the Beverley Food Festival
Fri 11th October 2019
East Riding College took part in and sold out at the Beverley Food Festival on Sunday 6 October.
The College held a stall selling a variety of baked goods, including flapjacks, scones, bread rolls and Viennese whirls, all cooked by staff and catering students at the College.
Despite a blustery and rainy start to the day, the Festival was well attended and the stall sold out of all of the treats on offer.
The highlight of the College’s Festival was student Freddie Cole and Principal Mike Welsh taking part in a ‘cook-off’ in the food theatre. Freddie, who also works at the Drewton’s Estate near South Cave is a student on the Level 3 in Advanced Professional Cookery and Mike is a keen amateur.
Freddie said, “It was a fantastic experience to be up on stage cooking in front of everyone. It was a bit nerve-wracking at first but a great opportunity to represent the College and be around other talented chefs. The College course has taught me a lot and improved my technical skills and confidence – getting me to a professional standard which I hope will take me far.”
Judge and College chef tutor Dave Leaf diplomatically declared the cook-off a draw after both competitors made equally appetizing chicken roulade dishes. He said, “It’s great to be involved in the food theatre at the festival as it gives the public a chance to see the standard the students at the College are being trained to, and the quality of the food that is being served at our Elwell’s and Archers restaurants.”
Mike Welsh said, “It was great to be invited to take part in the cook-off and I even managed to pick up a few tips from Dave during our demonstration. It’s important to us as a College to support the booming hospitality and food industry in our local area, to boost the local economy and promote the kind of inventive and entrepreneurial sector we want for our students. I’d like to extend my congratulations to Beverley Town Council and everyone who makes the Festival possible, for establishing such a popular event which draws the crowds from far and wide, rain or shine.”
Chef tutor Dave Leaf also helped judge the 12th annual HEYHA Copper Saucepan Award for apprentice chef of the year at the Food Festival. The competition pitched finalists Thomas Lloyd of the Beverley Arms Hotel against Jordan Stainton from the Village Hotel Hull. The heats were held in the training kitchens at East Riding College in July, where six young chefs from around the region were whittled down to two finalists in a tense cook off. The competition was sponsored by AE Purdy Ltd, specialist suppliers of fresh fish.
