Trainee chefs at The Sheffield College sharpen culinary skills after international prize trip

Trainee chefs at The Sheffield College have sharpened their culinary skills after completing an international prize trip.

Three catering students have returned from a week-long study trip to Hong Kong which the team won at this year’s Zest Quest Asia competition.

Now Amos Peck, 18, Destiny Breeze, 18, and Luke Swift, 18, will showcase their expertise and draw on the inspiration and knowledge gained from the trip.

The team will create 1,000 canapes for guests at next year’s Zest Quest Asia final and gala dinner taking place on 23rd April 2027 at the Hilton London Wembley.

Andy Gabbitas, Catering Lecturer, The Sheffield College, said:

“It was a superb prize. We had a fantastic study week which focussed on fusion food blending eastern and western cuisine.

“Seeing a different culture has helped the students grow in confidence, knowledge and skills. We are really looking forward to putting those experiences into practice at Zest Quest Asia 2027.

“Competing at such a high level and winning this year’s competition has been an excellent way to prepare for a career in the industry.”

During the trip, students visited prize sponsor Lee Kum Kee’s headquarters in Hong Kong, toured their food production factory and took part in a culinary workshop.  

The students also visited the International Culinary Institute, Tai Po Market, Chenpi village, and dined at some of the city’s top restaurants.

Other highlights included trying different foods and seeing first-hand Chinese fermentation methods, which inspired one of their prize winning dishes, on a much larger scale.

Destiny Breeze commented:

“It was an amazing experience. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity and to everyone who made it possible.

“One of my favourite experiences was visiting the Lee Kum Kee kitchen where we were taught about authentic dishes including various ways to fold dumplings.

“One thing that surprised me was how the restaurants take apart and use almost every part of an animal and make it into delicious cuisine.

“This has expanded my industry knowledge on how to effectively use parts of an animal that I would never have thought of before this trip.

“Another highlight was being sat around a table trying many new foods every day, expanding my knowledge on the variety of dishes that Hong Kong has to offer.”

Luke Swift said:

“The trip was eye opening. We learnt so much about Hong Kong culture and the intricacies of everyday life.

“The highlights for me were the food, culture, people and Tai Po wet market, which was a once in a lifetime experience with vegetables and carved out animals on display from pigs’ heads to live fish.

“I learnt about nose to tail eating and presentation, which refers to serving the whole animal and reduces waste. I enjoyed the family style food service. At most restaurants, we were given a large round table with a spinning plate in the centre.

“Dishes were placed on it and then shared around. You would take your portion then spin the plate to the next person. It made things super easy and was an interesting experience.”

Amos Peck added:

“It was an unforgettable experience. I never thought I’d be able to explore and learn so much in such a short time.

“The trip offered an opportunity to look into the industrial side of the catering industry during our visit to the Lee Kum Kee factory. Seeing the bulk fermenting was mind blowing.

“Cooking in the Lee Kum Kee headquarters was definitely a highlight. On the same day, we also went to a wet market. It was extraordinary looking at all of the fresh ingredients from bitter melons to fish turtles and shellfish still alive in the tank.

“I have now seen amazing and wonderful things that people can do with ingredients that I had never thought about and it’s pushing me to go for bigger and greater things in my life and job.”

The students are completing a Level 3 Catering and Hospitality Diploma at the college’s City Campus on Granville Road.

Zest Quest Asia is a competition for college teams which tests students’ technical expertise, creativity, knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Asian cuisine.

It was founded by London-based restaurateurs Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala with the support of the Master Chefs of Great Britain.

The students will attend next year’s competition to showcase their skills by creating Hong Kong inspired canapes for Zest Quest Asia 2027 guests.

The Sheffield College is a triple Zest Quest Asia winner clinching the title in 2026, 2024 and 2022.

The competition has been credited with raising awareness and interest in Asian flavours, cooking styles and techniques among a new generation of college-trained chefs.

This year’s winners were announced at a gala dinner at the Hilton London Wembley on 10th April 2026 attended by leading experts in the industry.

The Sheffield College team’s winning efforts were based on their ‘Taste of Sichuan’ menu. The trip to Hong Kong took place from 30th August to 5th September 2026.

Pictured: Lecturer Andy Gabbitas and students with Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala and Hong Kong hosts. Photo credit: The Sheffield College.