Almost 100 competitors battled it out at the University of Warwick on 3-4th April 2024 to win the top prizes. TUCO Competitions gave public sector caterers the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills as well as giving spectators a chance to see them live in action.
Phil Rees-Jones, TUCO chair, said: “We’re delighted that our annual skills competitions could return for 2024, and they were back with a bang! There was a fantastic range of skills on show from all competitors, and I was delighted to see strong levels of support shown by their colleagues contributing to a great atmosphere. Congratulations to all the winners.”
The winners included:
- Barista Skills (sponsored by Cafeology): Fabio Padiglioni, University of Bath
- Best Burger: Ryan Cheyne, University of Aberdeen
- Chefs’ Challenge (sponsored by Bidfood, Nisbets & Steelite): Joseph Latham & Ashley Podgers, University of Leicester
- Innovative Breakfast Challenge: Matias Urbano, University of Bristol
- Love British Food Challenge: Douglas Shewan, University of Aberdeen
- Mixology (sponsored by Britvic, LWC & Steelite): Nicolas Berasain, University of St. Andrews
- Seafood Skills: Janet Szypillo, University of Exeter
- Vegan Challenge: Richard Still, University of Exeter
Mike Haslin, TUCO chief executive, added: “After a tumultuous few years, the return of the Competitions was a great opportunity to bring together the TUCO Family in an environment that could really showcase the new and existing talent within our industry.
“It was a fantastic few days, displaying the very best chefs, mixologists, and baristas. The next event on the TUCO calendar is the Summer Conference, we look forward to seeing you there.”