Designed to ‘educate, entertain, and inspire’, Unox’s global Combi-Guru digital platform delivers technical insight, culinary knowledge and recipe creativity through a simple app-based interface. The 2023 challenge required participating students to complete a range of daily tasks and timed Q&A sessions consistently over a period of several weeks.

Based on a two-course service created in just three hours, Keiran’s winning menu of lamb, whipped feta, roasted vegetables and chimichurri, wowed the judges, as did his dessert of a cinnamon custard tart complete with dark chocolate crémeux, featuring his own sugar work. Catherine’s rack of lamb, complete with spring vegetable stuffed courgette was also highly commended by judges.

Keiran commented: “It was a thrill to take part in the final and to win was more than I could ever have expected. The whole Unox team have been extremely generous and I’ve really enjoyed taking part in the Combi-Guru Challenge. I was studying for my exams whilst also preparing for the finals, and the app helped me learn a bit more alongside my course work, so it was really useful.  

“Part of our trip included a visit to lunch at Venissa – a Michelin-starred restaurant in Venice which was amazing. The whole experience was incredible and I learnt an enormous amount from all the chefs at the competition. I was really focused on just doing my best, which worked out really well. I was delighted to win.”

Alongside the trip, each student won a set of knives and both winning colleges will receive a brand-new combi-oven courtesy of Unox.

Scott Duncan, managing director of Unox UK, added: “We’re delighted to support the winning college with its new oven and hope that it will help the next generation of students to push the boundaries further still.

“Unox is committed to the positive future of the hospitality industry and working with The Burnt Chef Project helped reinforce that mental health and well-being must sit alongside success and aspiration. Even though we’ve just announced the winner, we’re looking forward to next year already.”