The event provides a chance for healthcare chefs to showcase their skills and talent. The competition is also an opportunity for college catering students from the South to develop their skills and get feedback from culinary experts from across the healthcare sector.

There will be Live classes for both students and hospital caterers, from ‘cooking up a curry storm’ to ‘ready, steady, soup!’ There are static classes too, with themes ranging from a ‘trio of delights’ to ‘time for pie’.

The winners of the categories will have the ‘unique opportunity’ of a shadow day being mentored by a chef within the hospitality industry. There are mentoring opportunities with Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL (Café Spice), Luke Matthews (Chewton Glen) and Phil Yeomans (Lainston House Hotel).

This event is organised by the Hospital Caterers Association (Wessex branch), with the organisation this year spearheaded by Wessex member Caroline Benjamin, director of Food Allergy Aware.

Iain Robertson, national vice chair of the HCA and catering operations manager at Solent NHS, commented: “The event hosted by the Wessex branch of the hospital Caterers Association has been running for over 20 years and it’s brilliant to see the event so well supported by hospitality mentors, sponsors, Trusts and colleges.

“There is some fantastic talent in the hospital sector and this event is one of the ways in which we can motivate, support and develop our teams. It’s great to be able to bring together our new and experienced chefs, and the upcoming generation coming through from the colleges. We look forward to meeting the participants on the day and sampling their culinary creations.”

For further information, roles and class information, visit: http://www.hospitalcaterers.org/news-events/news/bn-wessex-branch-salon-culinaire-2024/. Applications close Friday 19th April.