Nestlé Toque d'Or winners announced
A team from Blackpool and the Fylde College have won the Nestlé Toque d'Or 2007 competition.
Now in its 19th year, the competition combines students' kitchen and front of house experience with business acumen in developing a profitable and sustainable restaurant concept - whilst providing a unique "hands on" experience of the hospitality industry.
The college took the hot issue of Blackpool's bid to host a Las Vegas style super casino, with its "Seventh Floor at the Palace Casino" themed restaurant.
At the competition final at Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies students were challenged to serve 100 paying customers.
Blackpool and the Fyled College's team of four chefs, Russell Lee, Mandy Riedel, Tony Bee and Graham Floyd chopped and cooked their way to producing 300 faultless dishes, whilst the front of house duo of Ben Walsh and Stephen Bradley ensured all customers were attended to and served promptly.
The team's menu consisted of cream of red mullet and Pernod soup and supreme of guinea fowl with butternut squash risotto, creamed savoy cabbage and wild mushroom Sauce.
This year¹s competition embraced the consumer trend of "informality" and specified a sharing dessert using Nestlé confectionery products.
The college created an assiette of four desserts. Taking inspiration from KitKat and Rolos.
Martin Lines, marketing director, Nestlé FoodServices says: "Toque d'Or is tough. The winning team has to excel in all aspects of the competition - from business concepts, to menu design and execution of the dishes."
The six winners will soon be embarking on an exclusive study tour. The trip will provide the students with the opportunity to acquire further skills and expand their knowledge of the culinary world.
The Blackpool and Fylde College will also receive catering equipment, along with the other three final teams of Bristol College, Ayr College and North Devon College.
