Exclusive Hotels | Steven Edwards

MasterChef Hells Kitchen Exclusive Chefs' Academy Lunch

Aspiring chefs from the Exclusive Chefs’ Academy went head-to-head on November 19th in a Hell’s Kitchen meets MasterChef style lunch to mark the half-way point in the programmes’ annual calendar. Under the guidance of current MasterChef: The Professionals champion Steven Edwards and Executive Chef of the Academy, Andy Mackenzie, the chefs were split into two teams, Red and Blue, to devise, create and deliver a winning menu to a group of over 40 academy suppliers, producers, college lecturers and sponsors at South Downs College in Waterlooville. Andy said: “The teams have worked tremendously hard over the course of the last six months to take inspiration from their day-to-day learning and their offsite visits to our brilliant suppliers and producers, back into the kitchen for this event.” Team Red narrowly scooped the prize for their menu of squid ink & crab ravioli, sea food velouté and brown shrimp dressing, followed by lamb shoulder & cannon of lamb, textures of kale, celeriac and burnt butter parfait, pear, and coconut to finish. Steve Mould from Flint & Flame said: “I have been blown away by the quality of the food and the wonderful flavours experienced today but also the incredible technical ability

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and skill from such a young group of chefs.” Steve presented members of both teams with a beautifully boxed wood-handled kitchen knife and Sue Stephens of Steelite awarded the members of the winning team with a commemorative plate to mark their achievement.

MasterChef Hells Kitchen Exclusive Chefs' Academy Lunch (7)

The Exclusive Chefs’ Academy is the brainchild of Andy Mackenzie who, together with Exclusive Hotels' group of award-winning restaurant chefs, carefully designed a two-year intensive plot-to-plate programme to both attract and nurture aspiring talent to the chefs industry. Each chef within the academy undertakes on-the-job training, attends off-site supplier visits and supervisory skills workshops, embarks on team challenges and benefits from master-classes with the Exclusive Hotels and Venues chefs, including 2-star Michael Wignall at The Latymer, Pennyhill Park, 1-Michelin star Matt Gillan at The Pass, South Lodge and 1-Michelin star Richard Davies from The Bybrook at The Manor House. 13 chefs are currently enrolled in the programme which launched in July 2014, including six from the Exclusive Hotels and Venues kitchens and seven from chef and catering colleges and universities across the UK. Find out more about the academy here.

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