Nestlé Toque d'Or champions crowned

University College Birmingham has been crowned champion of the prestigious Nestlé Toque d'Or competition after beating four rival teams.

Judges were impressed by how the six students handled devising a menu, cooking for and managing 100 paying guests at the BBC Good Food Show Summer.

Mentored by Andreas Antona of Simpsons, the team prepared slow cooked organic salmon, asparagus mayonnaise, quail egg and avruga caviar followed by roast loin of Cornish lamb, green beans, feta and chickpea and radish with a lovage jus.

Dessert was a caramel and chocolate parfait espresso ice cream.

The winners won a trophy and invites to the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon in January and the college will receive £4,000-worth of catering equipment from the Savoy Education Trust.

The Midlands students beat other finalists Petroc (North Devon), The College of West Anglia, Warrington Collegiate and York College.

"The commitment and the sheer natural talent in this team was clear from the very beginning," said head judge James Tanner.

"All six students showed 100% passion and really rose to the challenge in conditions that can only be described as working in a real pressure cooker.

"They should all be extremely proud of what they have achieved, especially with such a high standard of entries this year."