Aust and Skinner have now entered the competition three times for Artizian, progressing from third place in 2012, to second place in 2013 and finally succeeding in winning the title in 2014.
The 15 pairs of participating contract catering chefs had just 30 minutes in front of a live audience of more than 150 supporters to create their dishes.
They were allowed to choose from mystery ingredients including megrim sole, belly pork, chorizo sausage, butternut squash, blackberries, apples, plus a selection of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and store cupboard ingredients.
Competition judge, Sara Jaynes Stanes, from the Academy of Culinary Arts, said: “The colours, flavours and textures each team put together using the same core ingredients are completely different. It’s fantastic to see such innovative dishes, produced in such a short time.”
Fellow judge Geoff Booth, head of hospitality at Westminster Kingsway College said: “The standard improves year on year. We saw intensity tonight – lots of passion. Some chefs got it completely right and rocked!”
The winning Artizian menu was:
Main Course - Straw smoked Cornish Megrim with Crushed Yukon Potatoes, Ginger & Lime Beume Blanc & charred corn
Dessert - Bramley Apple & Blackberry Welsh Cake, Fig, Salted Caramel Walnuts & Vanilla Chantilly
Aust and Skinner won trophies, chef jackets and champagne, as well as a lunch for themselves and their partners at The Fat Duck, including a ‘behind the scenes’ tour, courtesy of sponsors McFarlane Tefler.
Skinner said: “We’ve learned not to panic, and to work with the equipment. The key is team work, and we communicated well throughout. We found it best to help each other, rather than working on separate dishes.”
Adam Thomason and Andrew Bunting from Restaurant Associates achieved second place with a menu of orange glazed megrim, cumin & garlic butternut squash, caramelised banana shallot & brown butter with ‘Apple & Blackberry Crumble’ (salt caramel Bramley apple, black pepper meringue, vanilla pickled blackberry & toasted oats).
Nikki Low and Paul Matthews from Vacherin secured third place with pan fried sole, cauliflower cous cous, seared radicchio, butternut squash, ginger butter sauce and a dessert of dark chocolate cremeuz, apple, blackberry & lemon.
The other teams competing represented Absolutely, Aspire, Lexington, BaxterStorey, Blue Apple, Brookwood Partnership, Catermasters, CH&Co, Elior, Holroyd Howe, ISS Food & Hospitality and Sodexo Prestige.
ACE’s sponsored charity is Beyond Food Foundation, run by Chef Founder and Ready Steady Cook judge Simon Boyle. The charity was set up to inspire and motivate homeless people, and provide training for them to become chefs. 70 of them have been employed by social enterprise Brigade Bar and Bistro in Tooley Street, London.
As a judge of the Ready Steady Cook challenge Boyle commented: “They’re working in difficult circumstances – 30 minutes is no time at all. I’m massively impressed. It’s a joy to see so much talent in the foodservice industry.”
Pans and chopping boards, donated by catering equipment supplier Nisbetts, have been donated to Beyond Food Foundation. All leftover food items were donated to The Passage, a homeless charity in Victoria.