12th April 2013
Spring 2011: Ife 2011
The talent displayed on the Skillery at the IFE 2011 show gave just the snapshot needed of the culinary excellence chefs and caterers have and their eagerness to pass them on.
The Skillery lived up to its name at the IFE 2011 show at ExCeL in London showcasing all the skills that the Craft Guild of Chefs strives to encourage its members to attain.
On each of the four days, the Craft Guild Culinary Academy’s competition team was first on stage, in association with the City & Guilds, cooking before a live audience to demonstrate the themes and mentoring on competitive dishes that helped it to win medals in contests ranging from the World Cup to the recent salon culinaire at the Hospitality show.
Each session offered a different slant on the cooking styles needed across all the industry’s sectors. For example Steve Walpole, senior executive chef and the lead development chef for mostly British Airways and consultant across the airline sector for Gate Gourmet, showcased new techniques in airline food with his sous chef Katie Green.
A “Brand New Initiative” from Zuidam executive chef Matt Owens and Premier Foods senior development chef Mark Rigby, aimed at delivering food appreciation in schools to students and parents, showed dishes that can be made simply and quickly. This was a taster of a series of workshops across the country planned by the two.
Westminster Kingsway College chef lecturer José Souto presented a modern look at the traditional haunch of venison, while in the competition arena, members of the UK Skills team led by mentor Mike Godfrey, executive head chef at Eton College for Sodexo, showcased the kind of skill needed to be world beaters in competitions such as the global WorldSkills contest.
Leading competition winners included the Craft Guild of Chefs 2010 National Chef of the Year Hrishikesh “Rikki” Desai from the Lucknam Park Hotel. He gave his ‘Skills to Win’ presentation – an insight into what it takes to succeed in both competitions and the culinary world.
Consultant chef Ben Bartlett and University College Birmingham chef lecturer Mathew Shropshall shared the knowledge that has seen them win global barbecue contests, and consultant chef Lee Maycock’ demonstrated ‘creative cookery with products such as sponsor Pritchitts’ Creative Base.
Dez Turland, Brend Hotels group development chef and winner of the Vive le Cheese national recipe competition, demonstrated his winning recipe.
Presentations by Jun Tanaka, TV chef and executive head chef at the Pearl Restaurant & Bar, and Francesco Mazzei, executive chef at L’Anima, were in association with their charity Action against Hunger.
Aspire Group's creative director and celebrity TV chef Steven Saunders’ presentation using simple, fresh and organic food was also in association with the group’s chosen hospitality charity The One and All Foundation.
Steve Love, chef patron of Loves Restaurant and past National Chef of the Year winner, demonstrated some of the dishes from his restaurant, while consultant chef Sophie Wright cooked dishes from her latest book ‘Home at 7, Dinner at 8’, which gives simple recipes that can be made in under an hour.
French chef Jean-Philippe “JP” Bidart, head chef at The Millbrook Inn, in South Pool, Devon, showed how his knowledge of French cuisine had influenced his traditional British pub food, and Rob Kennedy, formerly with Compass Group working at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and now chef patron of Kennedy’s Brasserie presented his rustic restaurant food.
Sudha Shankar Saha, executive head chef of the Midlands based Saffron Group of Restaurants, is well known for his stint on TV’s Iron Chef show. He is also known for his fusion dishes and gave a presentation on traditional Indian cuisine with a twist.
On each of the four days, the Craft Guild Culinary Academy’s competition team was first on stage, in association with the City & Guilds, cooking before a live audience to demonstrate the themes and mentoring on competitive dishes that helped it to win medals in contests ranging from the World Cup to the recent salon culinaire at the Hospitality show.
Each session offered a different slant on the cooking styles needed across all the industry’s sectors. For example Steve Walpole, senior executive chef and the lead development chef for mostly British Airways and consultant across the airline sector for Gate Gourmet, showcased new techniques in airline food with his sous chef Katie Green.
A “Brand New Initiative” from Zuidam executive chef Matt Owens and Premier Foods senior development chef Mark Rigby, aimed at delivering food appreciation in schools to students and parents, showed dishes that can be made simply and quickly. This was a taster of a series of workshops across the country planned by the two.
Westminster Kingsway College chef lecturer José Souto presented a modern look at the traditional haunch of venison, while in the competition arena, members of the UK Skills team led by mentor Mike Godfrey, executive head chef at Eton College for Sodexo, showcased the kind of skill needed to be world beaters in competitions such as the global WorldSkills contest.
Leading competition winners included the Craft Guild of Chefs 2010 National Chef of the Year Hrishikesh “Rikki” Desai from the Lucknam Park Hotel. He gave his ‘Skills to Win’ presentation – an insight into what it takes to succeed in both competitions and the culinary world.
Consultant chef Ben Bartlett and University College Birmingham chef lecturer Mathew Shropshall shared the knowledge that has seen them win global barbecue contests, and consultant chef Lee Maycock’ demonstrated ‘creative cookery with products such as sponsor Pritchitts’ Creative Base.
Dez Turland, Brend Hotels group development chef and winner of the Vive le Cheese national recipe competition, demonstrated his winning recipe.
Presentations by Jun Tanaka, TV chef and executive head chef at the Pearl Restaurant & Bar, and Francesco Mazzei, executive chef at L’Anima, were in association with their charity Action against Hunger.
Aspire Group's creative director and celebrity TV chef Steven Saunders’ presentation using simple, fresh and organic food was also in association with the group’s chosen hospitality charity The One and All Foundation.
Steve Love, chef patron of Loves Restaurant and past National Chef of the Year winner, demonstrated some of the dishes from his restaurant, while consultant chef Sophie Wright cooked dishes from her latest book ‘Home at 7, Dinner at 8’, which gives simple recipes that can be made in under an hour.
French chef Jean-Philippe “JP” Bidart, head chef at The Millbrook Inn, in South Pool, Devon, showed how his knowledge of French cuisine had influenced his traditional British pub food, and Rob Kennedy, formerly with Compass Group working at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and now chef patron of Kennedy’s Brasserie presented his rustic restaurant food.
Sudha Shankar Saha, executive head chef of the Midlands based Saffron Group of Restaurants, is well known for his stint on TV’s Iron Chef show. He is also known for his fusion dishes and gave a presentation on traditional Indian cuisine with a twist.