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Culinary Congratulations

Award-winning Chefs
Warwick Conferences'
Award-winning Chefs
Originally published 22 August 2003


Four employees from Warwick Conferences have won awards at The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO) Southern Region Culinary Competition.

The competition, held this year at Thames Valley University, is designed to encourage chefs and catering staff to improve their skills, and to provide an opportunity for competitors to discuss their work with fellow professionals.

Celebrity chef, Brian Turner, chaired the competition judges, who awarded the Warwick Chefs with prizes in three categories.

Leading the way were Phil Thorpe and James Figgitt who joined forces to take first place in the Mystery Basket category, similar to Ready, Steady, Cook. Between them they had to cook a two-course meal (starter and main course) for a VIP function appropriate to the University of Warwick. Their “mystery basket” included salmon, monkfish, prawns, chicken and pork chops, along with a selection of vegetables and herbs.

Mary Fry took second place in the Formal Iced Wedding Cake category. Prior to the competition Mary had to prepare and decorate a one-tier Madeira cake. She narrowly missed out on the first place award to a representative from the University of Sussex.

Andy Whitlam took third place in the Fish Course category. For this he had to prepare a meal suitable for a Governors Dinner using just a fillet of cod and three other named ingredients, along with further ingredients of Andy’s choice.

Warwick’s executive chef, Graham Crump, commented that the competition was of the highest standard. Unfortunately London-traffic meant that the Warwick representatives arrived too late for the first event and Trainee Apprentice, James Hornby, narrowly missed out.

Congratulations all round to Warwick’s award-winning Chefs.