The team of three catering and hospitality students, Nicola Reilly, Rafal Kasprzak and Thomas MacNeil, beat teams from South Lanarkshire College, City of Glasgow College and SRUC Elmwood Campus in a live cook-off final in front of a panel of judges at City of Glasgow College.
Michael Henderson, chef lecturer at Fife College, said: “The Student Chef Challenge is a big one and in the past was the competition everyone wanted to win so we’re very happy it’s back.
“Hours of preparation, development and constant refinement got us to this stage - it’s a different environment than what the students are used to, nothing prepares you for cooking in front of a panel of judges and the pressure was really on but the hard work paid off.”
This year, competition entrants were required to create a three-course menu for four covers under the theme of ‘Scottish food and drink’ in one hour 45 minutes.
The winning team produced a menu, which included Scrabster landed loin of cod with seaweed gremolata, crispy skin, cauliflower cheese and pickled onions followed by a main of wild cairngorm loin of venison, venison haggis, whiskey turnip fondant, truffle celeriac puree, game jus.
Fife college produced a dessert of chocolate cremeux, Drambui savarin, Scottish berries with lime cure ice cream.
Lead judge Kevin MacGilvaray, catering and hospitality manager at the National Trust Scotland, said: “The standard of cooking on display today was exceptional with the Fife College team displaying the perfect combination of teamwork, technique and imagination to pip the other teams to the title.”