The Foodservice Student Catering Challenge invites students to design two dishes for a casual dining menu using the Dolmio and Uncle Ben’s foodservice products.
Willem Fijten, culinary product design scientist in the Mars Global Product Development team, said: “Mars Foodservice is extremely dedicated to all aspects of the future within foodservice and engaging with the next generation of chefs is the perfect next step in supporting this global initiative.
“Not only does it allow new, upcoming talent to showcase their culinary skills, but it provides an opportunity for the students to be supported by Mars Foodservice in a unique and fun way. I’m hugely excited by the Challenge and am looking forward to seeing what our future young chefs have in store for us!”
With the choice of creating either a vegetarian starter and a gluten free main course, or a gluten free main course and a dessert, students can be as creative and inventive as they like when developing their entries!
A panel will then paper-judge the menu concepts and choose the eight best entries who will be invited to attend a grand final cook-off taking place at the Great Hospitality Show on Monday 23rd January 2017 at the NEC, Birmingham.
The live cook-off final will give students the opportunity to present their culinary skills in front of a whole host of industry professionals, as they battle it out for the title of ‘Best Starter’, ‘Best Main Course’ and ‘Best Dessert’, with a special award presented to the student with the ‘Best Overall Menu’.
The Winner of each category from the live final cook-off will receive £200 of Nisbets vouchers to spend as they please on professional catering equipment, with the winner of the ‘Overall Best Menu’ receiving £400 of Nisbets vouchers. Each finalists will also receive a certificate and branded chef’s jacket.
For more information on the “DOLMIO® & UNCLE BEN’S® Foodservice Student Catering Challenge” or, if you’re interested in entering and would like to receive the Challenge entry pack please email cateringchallenge@rlpltd.co.uk.