SERC Culinary Students reach HEAT: The Culinary Colleges Competition Final

The culinary colleges competition Heat, supported by Samphire, is back this March for a third year!

Rising star chefs from colleges in Bangor (NI), Middlesborough, Farnborough and Jersey will go head-to-head in the Culinary Competition. A high profile chef from each college location will lead each team to battle it out at Highlands College in Jersey for the Peter Queree Trophy.

Visiting student chefs also will get a chance to explore the island whilst they are here and they will be taken to meet local suppliers to see some of our best local produce at its source.

Each college will cook a three-course lunch or dinner that will be judged by four top chefs in the UK catering industry on March 5th and March 6th at the Highlands Academy Restaurant. Front of house students from each college will also be judged on their level of service. Come and taste their delicious creations!

The Judges:

• Henri Brosi 
• Stephen Scuffell 
• Andrew Bennett MBE, Chair of the Craft Guild of Chefs.
• Paul Gayler MBE 

Lee Smith, Head Chef at the Michelin starred restaurant Samphire and Highlands College Chef Lecturer Dominic Farrell will lead the students on the Jersey Team.

Chef Lee Smith commented:

“I am really looking forward to leading the Jersey team and working alongside the talent of the future. The Jersey Team won last year so the pressure is on and the competition is of a very high standard, with some of the top colleges in the UK competing.”

The standard of competition is high – Lee will be joined by Michelin starred Frances Atkins (Middlesbrough), Robert Kennedy – Culinary Director for Compass Group (Farnborough) and Paul McKnight, Executive Chef for the Culloden Estate & Spa in Belfast.

The winners will be announced at a prestigious Gala Celebration dinner that will be hosted by a celebrity chef on Thursday March 7th at St Brelade’s Bay Hotel. Tickets are available to the public. Please check out Eventbrite for more details.

Eileen Buicke-Kelly, Director – Culinary Arts, Hospitality Studies and Catering Operations at Highlands College said:

“Following the success of last year’s event we are very excited to welcome some of the top talent from three outstanding culinary colleges in the UK to compete here in Jersey against our students at the Academy Restaurant at Highlands College. The students competing will all work alongside local well-known chefs, cooking and serving some classical dishes with a modern twist. The team here at Highlands College is looking forward to showcasing what Jersey has to offer with their up and coming chefs and hospitality students.”

Dave Chalk, Jersey Craft Guild of Chefs added:

“This is the third Heat event we have held and the Craft Guild of Chefs is ready to repeat the show with Heat 2019. At the Craft Guild we believe strongly in the development of the next generation of caterers, which is why we have devised Heat in partnership with Highlands College, PACE and Freedom Media. Jersey is one of the most foodie destinations in Britain, and we are not short of locally produced, reared and caught produce all year round – a selection of which you will taste throughout this competition.”