North Tees Hospital chefs win gold at Salon Culinaire

The title went to the winning duo, executive chef, Richard Kirton and chef, Ian Cannon from University Hospital of North Tees, part of the North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Trust. Their winning dishes were a main course of herb crusted chicken set on a bubble and squeak sake served with a crisp medley of Winter vegetables and a dessert of rhubarb & ginger cheesecake served with a delicate Tuille biscuit. Finalists had to prepare a two course meal, with appropriate accompaniments, suitable for serving to NHS patients. This was based on either a starter and main course or a main course and dessert. The cost could not exceed £1.90 per head for four covers. Preparation time was just one hour and all entrants have to provide a detailed breakdown of their costings in addition to the recipes, ingredients and method. Judging criteria required contestants to plan a meal which placed an emphasis on reduced saturated fats, sugars and salts and which is nutritionally sound. The principle protein item in the main course had to be chicken with vegetables and all ingredients had to have been farmed or produced within the UK. Both courses had to be suitable to produce as 50 portions using similar ingredients. Commenting on their success, Richard Kirton and Ian Cannon said: "We were delighted to win the Salon Culinaire Gold Award as well as the title HCA Hospital Chefs of the Year 2010. It is a fantastic achievement for us and the whole catering team in the Trust. "The success of all the contestants demonstrates just how skilled hospital chefs are and the huge emphasis that is being placed on preparing meals which are healthy and nutritious, include locally sourced ingredients and are tasty and beneficial to our patients." Kevan Wallace, chairman of the Hospital Caterers Association, added: "Patient satisfaction with hospital food is achieved as the result of the sheer determination of hospital chefs to rise to the challenges and to be willing to hone their own knowledge and culinary capabilities. "The level of achievement at Salon Culinaire 2010 is clear evidence of the fact that hospital chefs are making a real contribution to increasing the standard and variety of the meals on NHS menus. The Hospital Caterers Association is extremely proud of these results and hope that the skill shown will help to change out dated perceptions of hospital food." The Hospital Chefs Team Class in Salon Culinaire is organised by the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) and sponsored by Hobart UK and the Worshipful Company of Cooks.