Tomasin has won an all expenses paid trip to Avery Island, Louisiana where Tabasco Sauce has been made for nearly 150 years by McIlhenny Company.
The annual event celebrates the next generation of culinary talent with a multi-stage themed cooking competition. This year’s theme Tabasco “Street Food” challenged catering college students of all ages across the country to create a dish using one of four Tabasco pepper sauces alongside chicken. The recipe called for a “grab and go” dish, but also needed to transform for service in a gastro pub.
Gary Evans, judge and Tabasco brand corporate chef, said: “Tabasco pepper sauces offer more than just heat, they awaken and enliven food, never masking them. Gaia’s dish really encapsulated this versatility - she used our sauces to make it better!”
Tomasin’s winning dish was chicken made with Tabasco sauce in a homemade brioche bun alongside padrón peppers, fries seasoned with salt made with Tabasco sauce and a Tabasco Chipotle sauce mayonnaise.
She said: “When I saw the theme was street food, a burger sprang to mind straight away. I wanted to create a unique dish which balanced the delicious but powerful ingredients of Tabasco pepper sauces.
“Glazing my brioche bun with TABASCO® Sauce added warmth to the rich soft dough but also brought acidity to balance out the sweetness, whilst marinating the chicken with Tabasco Sauce added some real kick to the dish. I cannot wait to go to Avery Island!”
Judging the final were Tabasco brand corporate chef Gary Evans, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs Steve Munkley, Flagship development director Lee Tyan and Whitbread executive chef Dave Rust.
Now in its fourth year, the competition drew 42 entrants from 28 colleges. In the first round, the top 20 entrants were invited to showcase their recipe in front of judges at University of West London on 30th November 2015. The judges then selected 10 chefs to take part in the final round at Hotelympia.
The 2016 finalists came from six catering colleges across the country including Westminster Kingsway College, University of West London, Royal Garden Hotel, Lexington Catering College, The Crown Hotel, and Grimsby Institute. The competitors submitted dishes inspired by cuisines around the world including Korea, India, Italy as well as traditional Louisiana fare.