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Interview with Levi Roots New: Barista of the year The Sodexo Young Chef of the Year The Grand Prix Competition The Ambassador Matt Dawson The Omelette Challenge 2012 Salon Culinaire The complete guide to the days events Static and Live Competitions and Much More... The Pasta Heats

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Page 1: Sodexo Mag

Interview withLevi Roots

New: Barista of the year The Sodexo Young Chef of the Year

The Grand Prix Competition

The Ambassador Matt Dawson

The Omelette Challenge

2012

Salon Culinaire

The complete guide to the days eventsStatic and Live Competitions and Much More...

The Pasta Heats

Page 2: Sodexo Mag

2 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine •

Contents04 Matt Dawson: Ambassador

05 Barista of the Year

06 Butchery Demo

08 Pasta Heats

10 Grand Prix

12 The Hoxton Apprentice

13 Junior Apprentice

14 Fish Challenge

16 Young Chef of the Year

18 Interview with Levi Root

22 Bakery Ideas for Christmas

23 Hot Desserts

24 Great ways with Flora

26 Pick of the Day

27 Blue Dragon Challenge

28 Street Food

29 Indian Summer

30 Static Competitions

31 Omelette Challenge

32 Overall Winner

33 Sponsors and Judges

Film CrewBen ThomasJamie KempPhil SpieringTom Rogers

Zoe Beresford

PodcastersMarcus Armitage

PhotographersRebecca Sharplin-HughesCaroline Craske

Maizey Roberts

Magazine CrewSteph OrrJessica PookFrancesca WrightLouise TansleyKristine Waite

Rachel Kennedy

Yasmine Najib

Magazine Design/LayoutCharlotte CollinsKathryn BarwickEmily Black

Page 3: Sodexo Mag

Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine • 3

David MulcahyCraft and food development director, Sodexo

I am delighted to welcome you to this new and exciting magazine which captures the very best of Sodexo Salon Culinaire 2012.

The annual salon programme which encompasses our events at Ascot and in Ireland and Scotland has grown enormously and with over 1,000 competitors and visitors is one of the most significant culinary activities within the industry today embracing our culinary heritage and recognising talent.

Each year we introduce changes and additions to the event adding to the competitor and guest experience on the day.

This year was no different, additional live kitchens were added, competition classes were updated and an exciting Street food concept ensured that all guests on the day were well catered for.

This year’s highlights in the live competition theatre included The Sodexo Young Chef of the Year, The Grand Prix and of course The Great Omelette Challenge.Stunning cold displays included decorated cakes, chocolate and sugar exhibits, the ever popular bakery classes and some of the best themed table settings seen at the salon to date.

A particularly exciting competition was the Sodexo Barista Challenge grand final and competitors proved worthy finalists for the very first event. Look out for even more Barista competition heats next year.

Of course we are indebted to our suppliers and sponsors who contribute generously to the success of the event each year. Our expert judges on the day do a tremendous job, offering time and expertise to ensure all competition entries are judged fairly.

The popular masterclass programme included celebrity chefs Cyrus Todiwala and Levi Roots with Matt Dawson and Sodexo CEO Debbie White on stage to hand out awards and congratulate competitors.

Plans are now in place for next years Salon Culinaire which promises to be even more exciting.

In the meantime, look out for training courses and attend development days and I look forward to seeing you in 2013.

Particular thanks to excellent team at Solent Creatives, SSU who have produced this magazine.

Page 4: Sodexo Mag

4 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine

MATT DAWSONWe were delighted that Matt was able to join us in this year’s Salon and celebrate all the brilliant work and effort that our staff have put in, both in their daily jobs and within their competitions of the day.

When asked about his involvement within the company he spoke

passionately about his love for food and healthy eating and why this encouraged him to team up with Sodexo:

“I got involved three years ago by meeting some of the executives and having some ideas on the health and well being of the general population and the Sodexo staff. Sodexo work very hard on enabling all their staff , clients, and customers to be able to eat well; when I say eat well I mean healthily and full of nutrition. But it maybe needed a little bit more of a somebody of notoriety to front it, and because of my sports background and my love of food and understanding of food as a cook – not a chef I hasten to add they thought that it would be a good little match.”

Matt has been helping us to raise awareness of health and well being issues, as well as lending his support to a number of our other initiatives, namely this event. With his keen interest in culinary development and being donned a bit of a ‘foodie’ he was really getting stuck in to the events of the day and having

a brilliant time integrating with all the staff and visitors, although we fear he may have had enough of the photographs by the time we were all done with him.

On being questioned about his future endeavours with Sodexo, it was obvious that Matt was really hands on with his approach to the customers and clients of the company, and really getting out there and involved.

“I was health and wellness ambassador, subsequent to that I have moved into the management side of things with the team, going out there and meeting as many of the staff and seeing all the sites and clients and customers and so integrating all what Sodexo is about, making sure it is getting out to our staff and our customers and clients.”

Despite his conquering of Celebrity Master chef, publishing his own cookbook, and

being one half of the television cookery series ‘Mitch and Matt’, it seems our Great Omelette Challenge was just a bit too much for the lovely Matt. Looking a little emotional when we spoke to him, he says: “I was obviously very disappointed about that (The Great Omelette Challenge) I’ve mentally scarred myself, one of the board members Michelle, our commercial director beat me quite convincingly as well which unfortunately I will not hear the end of… and now I’ll be able to read about it as well!”Ever the joker, but despite this brutal defeat, he was a brilliant sport and was ex-cellent fun to have around. Here’s to next year’s Salon – get practising your Omelette skills Matt, there’s definitely a re match on the horizon.

words by Louise Tansley

Page 5: Sodexo Mag

Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine • 5

BARISTA CHALLENGE

The competition tested the baristas not only on their ability to make different cups of coffee and present these to a high standard, but also judged their customer service skills.

Finalists took part in three different sections to show off their skills – the first of which was to serve Salon attendees for approximately 30 minutes, the toasted marshmallow latte being a renowned favourite! The second task was entitled the Triangular Cupping Competition which consisted of identifying the odd coffee in a batch of three for five blends of coffee. And lastly, but most certainly not least was the creating and presenting of three drinks; an espresso, a cappuccino, and a signature drink of the entrants choice to WBC rules.

The winner, Annabelle Farago, who works for Sodexo’s Corporate Services IFM division, said that the secret to good coffee making is: “To enjoy your job and to smile.” It seems that Annabelle’s bubbly personality and friendly approach to her customers made her a sure fire winner – of course her delicious coffee creations sealed the deal.

Business development manager, vending and hot beverages, Sodexo UK and Ireland, and organiser of the new competition, Kim Reeves, said: “We are delighted that Annabelle has won the first National Barista Challenge. The competition was very close and everyone performed exceedingly well.”

It is brilliant that coffee is becoming such an integral part of the company; it is more than just our focus on food. Of course food is fundamental, but we are ever expanding in our vast range of service and expertise, and this competition has really given competitors the opportunity to show what they can do outside of the kitchen.

words by Louise Tansley

New to this year’s Salon Culinaire was the Barista Challenge giving ten applicants the opportunity to battle it out and see who could win the title of the first ever National Barista of the Year, as well as bagging

themselves a top of the range Barista machine.

Page 6: Sodexo Mag

6 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine

Page 7: Sodexo Mag

This year at the 2012 Salon Culinaire, Master Butcher Maxie Malcolm was welcomed to present a master class in game with the focus on venison. How to handle the animal,

where to find the meat and what to use it for, were all covered in the demonstration.

Currently working at Rare Butchers in Mayfair, Maxie began his career working beneath his father in the local shop. A job he said he fell into, after four long years of working as an apprentice he now has over 20 years of experience behind him but remains eager to learn and improve.

As venison is a type of meat not widely used, often people feel weary on how to handle the animal. Venison is a young deer often bred wildly and caught at three years or younger. Their organic lifestyle ensures their meat has a strong taste that could rival beef or lamb. Despite its youthfulness, the animal has a lot of meat to offer and wide a variety of cuts making its iron-rich flesh fantastic for cooking.

Maxie began the first demonstration of the day by carefully sectioning the different parts of the body explaining in steps what he was doing. He started the process by removing the four legs being cautious to follow the natural lines of the body to ensure as large a yield as possible. After this he removed the belly and finally worked on the loin and haunch.

Once the long process of separating cuts and bones was complete with all edible flesh removed, he talked through each cut explaining how it can be used.

First up was the belly. An unusual cut that is often ignored, this long, flat piece is great for stuffing, rolling and roasting.

Next he moved onto the legs. Great to roast as a whole, or the top section can be roasted individually. Left on the bone it should be slow roasted like many of the cuts to ensure tenderness. The top of the leg can also be sold as a shank, an area extremely good value to money.

The shoulder is a large cut and can be slow roasted either on the bone or can be deboned and the flesh rolled and tied in string to roast.

The haunch is the deer’s bottom and is the most tender part on the animal. It is versatile and can be roasted with or without bone, quickly or slowly and makes great steak portions. When cooking steak, Maxie said get your pan as hot as possible, add oil and flash fry to your preferred degree of rarity.

Finally Maxie unveiled the strip loin, the lengths of flesh running down either side of the animal’s spine. This is the most expensive cut and is sought

after by top chefs. It is best roasted whole and is great for making a wellington, this also working well as steak.

Finally to really make the most of the animal, any left over pieces from the neck area and under the ribs can be trimmed of fat, diced and used for slow cooking dishes like casserole.

Before any of the cuts are cooked, silver skin (a thin white layer covering the muscle) needs to be removed. Our master butcher did this easily by using a small knife to slide the layer away but said most butchers will do this for you.

When it comes to buying, the more cuts available the lower the price of the meat, and thanks to the recession venison is now at its lowest price in years. With this step by step guide from our Master Butcher and a price to rival beef… why not try your first game pie today.

Venison is one of the most lean, versatile and nutritious meats available on the UK market today.

With popular cuts ranging from shank to shoulder, and the ability to yield 15-20 steaks from the haunch of one deer alone, not only is

venison incredibly flavoursome but the animal feeds many.

BUTCHERYDEMO

Sodexo Salon Culiniaire Magazine • 7

words by Kristine Waite

Page 8: Sodexo Mag

Pasta: The Final Round

After an intense round in the morning, only five competitors remained in the game for the second heat of the live pasta class. They had 30 minutes to

prepare, cook and present two identical portions, using any dried

pasta of their choice

8 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine

Page 9: Sodexo Mag

Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine • 9

As the second heat began Judge Dan Arratoon told us what they were looking for: “Competitors

really need to consider their timing – a lot of this morning’s dishes weren’t cooked through; people think pasta cooks much quicker than it does,” he said. As ever, the judges had high expectations for the presentation; a sprinkling of ‘green fairy candy’ a top one dish didn’t cut it earlier that morning, but as John Rutter began layering a circular spinach and ricotta lasagne into a tiny, delicious tower it didn’t look as though they would be disappointed.

Two competitors took a daring step and prepared ravioli, leaving no alternative than to make the pasta themselves, (using dough made previously). This was particularly risky - not least because it is so time consuming, and Titus, (whose dish consisted of butternut squash and chilli ravioli served on a bed of spinach and rocket) quickly fell behind. He was still rolling sheets of pasta when Dan Gee served up two generous portions of tagliatelle with pork and herbs. Judge Dan Arratoon explained how difficult fresh pasta can be to prepare under strict time constraints: “Even if he rolls it very thinly, where the joins are it’ll still be thick and undercooked if he keeps to the clock” he said.

It was an intense heat, with Dan Gee having served and cleaned down his station before other competitors had their pasta boiling – the judges were certainly in for some seriously al dente dishes. The pace didn’t drop, with two more chefs serving up with only thirty seconds to spare, to huge audience applause. Unfortunately, as predicted by the judges, Titus Chege didn’t dish up in time, though

in testament to his cooking skills, he still came away from the competition with a silver award in spite of a time penalty.

Ellis Masters, who demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, going as far as placing his plates above the oven to warm through, received the much deserved best in class. Using a medley of deliciously colourful and fresh ingredients he prepared Devonshire white crab and spring cannelloni with mango and avocado puree, balsamic glaze and parmesan to finish. He attributed his success to his choice of ingredients (as opposed to his experience as a head chef, working for Sodexo multiple times and opening restaurants in between) “As soon as you start over complicating things and adding too many ingredients it doesn’t work anymore. I only used about seven things, but super fresh flavours like crème fraiche, lemon zest and herbs. The puree was obviously quite sweet with the mango, but combined together it works really well.” he said, and looking at it, we certainly wouldn’t say no to a serving.

words by Rachel Kennedy

Best in Class:Ellis Masters

Silver:Titus Chege

Merit: Antony McKeown

Page 10: Sodexo Mag

10 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine

In the afternoon, one of the most highly anticipated live competitions of the day took place in front of a packed out audience. The Sodexo Grand Prix-Dish of the Day (sponsored

by Unilever Food Solutions and Churchill China) saw ten chefs battling it out for the sought after Gold Award. Competitors had 60 minutes to prepare, cook and present two plated portions of a warm or hot starter and two plated portions of a hot main course. Both the starter and the main course were the competitors’ choice, with the only requirement being that both dishes should be fully garnished.

Timing was a key factor in this cook off, with competitors losing crucial marks if the dishes were not completed within the allocated time. We asked Executive Development Chef and judge Omero Galuluci what qualities the judges were looking for in the dish of the day: “Well innovation obviously, something that has been executed well, and of a very different style to what we’ve seen before. Well cooked food, because that’s very important - they need to treat it right! Also the way they work and look after their product, because some people can abuse products, if you know what I mean. They don’t know how to look after it, especially with fish and other delicate foods.”

Some of the mouth watering dishes being rustled up in 60 minutes included: coconut pancakes with mango and chilli prawns; spiced

loin of lamb and lamb’s liver sandwich; and more unusual offerings such as Partridge Pithivier, and Torchon of rabbit and guinea fowl.

We were surprised to see only one girl competing in the Dish of the Day contest, although Omero was quick to praise winner, Chef de Partie Louisa May Matthews: “It is a shame there aren’t more girls competing really, because I like to see the girls getting involved. There really are some great female chefs in Sodexo you know! This girl here is working very cleanly. She’s a very organised young lady, if there was a prize just for that, she would definitely win! Hopefully her tidiness will show in her presentation; this will show a tidy mind, and a clean mind means a clean plate.”

After a tense 60 minutes battling it out in front of the judges, the competition came to a swift close. The delicious winning menu looked a little bit like this: ‘Pan fried fillet of bass, open lasagne of crayfish and scallop, fennel and fish cream. for starter, followed by a mouth watering best-end of lamb, gremolata-crusted lamb neck with braised pulses, accompanied by little roasts potatoes, lamb jus and mint dressing.’

We would like to wish a massive congratulations to Sodexo Grand Prix Dish of the Day winner Louisa May Matthews!

words by Yasmine Najib

THE GRAND PRIX OF

COOKERYcompetition of the day

The most highly anticipated live

Page 11: Sodexo Mag

Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine• 11

The Grand Prix Dish of the Day

Winner: Louisa May Matthews

“It is a shame there’s not more girls competing really; because

I like to see the girls getting involved, there really is some

great female chefs in Sodexo you know!”

Page 12: Sodexo Mag

12 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine

Leon Seraphin talks to Sodexo magazine about the charity and how to get involved.

What is Hoxton Apprentice?Hoxton Apprentice is a charity for the

unemployed to gain experience and confidence in the catering field. The founder Gordon D’Silver, had a vision for unemployed people to train while receiving a wage at the same time. We take unemployed apprentices for six months and put them in work placements. We start them off with an NVQ level 2 and they start either at the back of house or the front of house.

We have had many people from a variety of backgrounds asking to work at Hoxton Apprentice. Few have qualifications, some have experienced homelessness or have drug and alcohol addictions. We want to help them turn their lives around by making a positive contribution to society.

Can anyone join?Yes, all I am looking for is a good work ethic

and a can do attitude. I make the decision whether I will give you a chance or not and it is more than likely that I will. When I am looking for candidates I look for passion, I ask: “Do they have it in their hearts to become a chef?” It doesn’t matter who and what they were or are, it’s what do they want to be. I once had an apprentice who was 50 years old, he came to me in an interview telling me “Chef, I’ve tried everything in life, I just want a chance.” I gave him a chance and now he is working for the private catering company in London

The Hoxton Apprentice

‘Party Ingredients.’ They do many high end catering jobs, they recently catered for the Queens Jubilee. He has got that chance now, he’s now a hard working chef. For me everyone I work with are my family, they will all be at my leaving do in a few weeks. I was once one of them, I started with nothing and now I have something, I am a success in my own right.

Success Rate?Many of our chefs who have been working

with us have worked for many different companies including Sodexo. Some have worked with Gordon Ramsay and catered in the Emirates Stadium. Last year we did a dinner for the Queen in the Gherkin, it was an incredible experience. Hoxton is something I am very proud of, it is something positive where we turn someone’s life around, and I will continue to be an ambassador for the charity.

How would someone get an interview for Hoxton Apprentice and the Training for life scheme?

Our apprentices are recruited though local jobsites, employment agencies and word of mouth. Occasionally Training for Life takes part in employment trade shows such as Osmani Trust job fairs and the such.

If you wish to get involved with Training for Life or any of the apprentice programmes mentioned please contact:http://www.trainingforlife.orghttp://www.hoxtonapprentice.com/

Hoxton Apprentice is a social enterprise set up by the charity Training for Life. Co-founded by social

entrepreneur Gordon D’Silva the restaurant had two purposes; to seek out unemployed people with a passion

for working in the hospitality industry, and giving the public an affordable place to eat.

words by Francesca Wright

Leon Seraphin, like many chefs, is a big fan of fish. Now head chef at the Hoxton Apprentice, he has worked at the Commonwealth Club as Chef de Partie, and at White’s Gentleman’s club in Mayfair as a Commis Chef. Conscious of sustainability Leon encourages his apprentices, co-workers and audiences to try and cook less popular fish to protect those endangered. Flounder, coney and pollack all make great tasting alternatives to the more favoured fish such as haddock and cod and will help prolong their existence and increase their numbers.Leon’s top five fish:

Halibut

Sole

Seabass

Scallops

Megrim, extremely sustainable and very

under used Leon personally told us to

give this a try

What should we be looking for when buying fish fresh? Look for fish with eyes that glow, they should be shiny, not dull and look as though they still have some life in them.Look at the gills on the fish, they should be a rich pinkish/red colour not a dull brown. Contrary to popular belief, the smell of fish should not be offensive. Their scent should be of clean, seawater.One of the most important things to look for is a reliant, sustainable source. In order to carry on enjoying fish we have to begin making responsible choices and once in a while try and branch out, cooking with less in demand fish such as pouting.

LEON SERAPHIN: HEAD CHEF AT THE

HOXTON APPRENTICE

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Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine • 13

Junior Apprentice

In case you were not lucky enough to witness these young chefs taking on the live challenge at 9.20am, these chef’s had one hour to prepare, cook and serve four portions of ‘Supreme of Chicken Maryland,’ to be served on a single

platter to the recipe and method requested.

Eighteen year old and bronze award winner Daniel Harris had this to say on how he became involved with

Sodexo.“I have been working with Sodexo since

February, I was originally working with City Bristol College, but unfortunately they had to let me go, but they found me a placement with Sodexo as an apprentice. The competi-tion went quickly, although we had an hour to complete this recipe the time went really fast. You practice so much to perfect everything, but once in front of an audience everything seems to just go out of the window.”

And what is his favourite dish to cook?

“Not Supreme of Chicken Maryland thats for sure” he laughs. “Maybe chicken strata.”

The King of Supreme Chicken Maryland and the winner of the Junior apprentice was Gustavo Vaca. He started working for Sodexo as a waiter in 2007 in the catering department. In 2011 he had the opportunity to start an apprenticeship within the kitchen department to become a chef.

“I was surprised to win the silver award and to be an-nounced as the Best in class for the Junior apprentice challenge, especially after watching the other junior chefs and seeing the high standard. I have never

• Remove the skin from the supremes, trim and shape.

Scrape the bone with a knife to clean and neatly remove

the knuckle.

•Prepare pane- season 200g of flour and mix 2 eggs

with 80ml of milk. Place flour, the egg mixture and the

breadcrumbs in separate trays.

• Peel the bananas and cut in half

• Pass the chicken into the lightly seasoned flour

patting off the excess, then into the egg/milk mix and

finally into the fresh breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess

and placing on a clean tray.

• Repeat this process with the 4 banana halves.

• To make the fritters whist the remaining 40ml of milk

with the remaining egg then slowly add the flour, mixing

until a smooth batter is formed.

• Season and stir in the sweetcorn. Grill the bacon until

golden and crisp, keep warm.

• Shallow fry the chicken supremes in a little oil

and butter until sealed and golden brown to a core

temperature of 75ºC.• In a separate pan heat oil and butter and cook the

bananas until crisp and golden on the outside and soft

in the middle.• Halve the tomatoes and grill lightly.

• Heat a clean non-stick pan before adding a little oil.

Add a tablespoon of sweetcorn batter at a time to give

you 4 nice pancake shapes. When golden, turn over and

continue to cook until golden. Remove from the pan

and drain on kitchen paper.

• Serve the supremes on a china platter with demi glace,

bacon, sweetcorn pancake, banana fritter and a sauceboat

of horseradish sauce.

entered any competitions before and I wasn’t sure what to expect on the day. I was a little nervous at first but once I started I forgot I was being judged and carried on as normal. I really enjoyed Salon and got to watch some of the other chefs in their live demonstrations. It was something I have never been to see before and I learnt a lot.”

“I enjoy cooking most things but one of my favourite dishes is beef stroganoff and cooking traditional Spanish food.”

Leon Seraphin’s Herb crusted Halibut with a wasabi beurre blanc sauce

1.Mix together lemon, lime, parsley and dill and coat either side of your prepared fish fillet.2.Heat your pan and once searing hot, add oil and lay your fish down presentation side first.3.Once your fish begins to turn golden and curl at either end, flip it and cook the other side.4.After a minute or so, remove the pan from the heat and coat your fish in breadcrumbs with a dusting of parmesan.(Leon used panko, a Japanese breadcrumb but assured that any will do.)Then place your pan into the oven at 180 degrees for seven minutes until your crust has hardened.5.To create your accompanying beurre blanc sauce, fry shallots, white wine and white wine vinegar in a pan. 6.Once it has reduced and thickened, add cream and butter bit by bit whisking all the time to create a syrup consistency. 7.Finally, add a teaspoon of wasabi paste to the beurre blanc and spoon over your fish. Leon served his dish with fondant potato.

words by Kristine Waite

WHY NOT TRY...

words by Francesca Wright

Page 14: Sodexo Mag

14 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine

The FishCompetitionEXPECTATIONS FROM THE JUDGES

With fish being present throughout demonstrations, supplier’s stands and in multiple competitions, the pressure on the participants was intense.

Food is in Sodexo’s heritage and good food is compulsory throughout their institutions, so there were high expectations from contestants dishes.

Sponsored by Direct Seafood who were also on hand with a Master Fishmonger to demonstrate fish filleting techniques earlier in the day, the seats were lined with supporters for the ten chefs participating.

The event was separated into sections. Before the challenge began contestants had 15 minutes to create their dish plan from a box of ingredients containing shallots, dill, parsley, spinach and fennel amongst other vegetables and herbs.

Then time began and each chef was given a ten minute period to prepare and fillet an entire fish. Once the judges had given the filleted fish the all clear, the contestants were given 30 minutes to use the prepared piece to create two identical dishes to a fine dining standard.

The menus varied from seabass to seabream all accompanied by exquisite dishes such as fennel mash and courgette spaghetti.

The support on the day from chef ’s co-workers was incredible. Shaun Williamson a contestant and site manager at the Stonehouse Barracks in Plymouth had a huge team cheering him on making the atmosphere enjoyable for all. There for three years his team were eager to see him win but were still full of congratulations when he

THE PRESSURE WAS INTENSE, AS THERE WERE HIGH

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Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine • 15

was awarded merit and top of the class went to Gavin Moore who received gold.

Gavin has been with Sodexo for seven years and was thrilled at winning. He said, “It wasn’t expected. I didn’t think I would end up winning because there was such a high standard.”

Gavin’s winning dish consisted of seabass and despite the limited ingredients and time, he stated ‘I like the pressure’ and clearly thrived under the restrictions. Not his first time at a Sodexo competition, he received bronze in the Pasta challenge a few years ago and now has plans to return next year and compete in the Dish of the Day challenge.

Congratulations to all entrants this year and good luck to those returning for next years Sodexo Salon Culinaire.

words by Kristine Waite

Winner:

Gavin Moore

“It wasn’t expected. I didn’t think I would end up winning because there was such a high standard”

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16 • Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine

The task at hand consisted of preparing, cooking, and presenting two identical plated portions of a main course and a gateau pithivier within the 60 minute time alloca-tion. The main course dish had to be created using sole or seabass, and completed

with suitable vegetables, carbohydrate and appropriate garnish. The finished dish also had to include at least one Knorr professional puree. The gateau pithivier must have been created

The Sodexo Young chefof the year

A large number of spectators gathered in the arena, for one of the most highly anticipated events of the day. Sodexo’s Young Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions and Churchill China, brought together a group of highly talented competitors, all 24 years and under.

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Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine • 17

using the stipulated recipe from the book ‘Professional Chef 2’, and was to be served complete without any garnish for a minimum of six portions.

First place was awarded to 21 year old Ross McMillan who works as a junior chef de partie at the Stirling Management Centre in Scotland. When asked on his thoughts on the competition Ross told us: “My boss Raymond Thompson asked me if I was interested in applying for it, and it is the second time that I have been a contestant. I felt that it went alright, but the equipment was quite different to what I’m used to using, which threw me a bit at first, but then I just developed a rhythm and it was fine.”

Ross has been with the Sodexo company after they bought out the Compass group in 2010, though has been a chef for five years now. His winning dish comprised of seabass with chorizo, ratatouille, chives and potatoes; served with a butternut squash coulis.

The silver medal award was given to Lea Eastman-Thompson, and the bronze medal award went to Louisa May Matthews – who also

won the Dish of the Day competition. After training at Gloucester College, she has been working at Eton College for two years now. Her manager, Ian Morton, described her as ‘barking mad’ and ‘absolutely flying’ – clearly an incredible young chef in the making.

Craft and food development director, David Mulcahy told us that “the purpose of the salon is to encourage competitors to showcase talent and to learn from their experiences” – and in this sense every single competitor in the Young Chef of the Year competition was a winner in their own right. They all came up with incredible, innova-tive dishes to an extremely high standard and made something that they should be very proud of. These are the chefs of Sodexo’s future, and they deserve huge congratulations for their achievements.

So well done to all of this year’s competitors, good luck for next year, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours with Sodexo. Definitely a force to be reckoned with.

words by Louise Tansley

“My boss Raymond Thompson asked me if I was interested in applying for it, and it is the second time that I have been a contes-tant. I felt that it went alright, but the equip-ment was quite differ-ent to what I’m used to using, which threw me a bit at first, but then I just developed a rhythm and it was fine”

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He has slain dragons with his Caribbean charm, rubbed shoulders with Bob Marley and outsold Heinz tomato ketchup. Now entrepreneur Levi Roots talks to us about his Dragons’ Den success, the future of his brand and how surprisingly, his favourite food is Italian.

Sodexo Salon Culinaire Magazine • 19

Levi Roots and His Reggae Reggae Sauce

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Hi Levi, how are you enjoying Salon Culinaire?

Today had been ‘fabu-licious’ which is a mix between fabulous and delicious.

What inspired you to make your sauce?Music and food have always been my life,

music came first, obviously I thought I was going to be the biggest singer/songwriter there ever was, but you always need a plan B. Luckily I had one and it came in the form of cooking. I was always cooking on tour, when the band was practicing I would be singing over a tiny stove somewhere and

that’s when I realised that I could combine my two biggest passions, hence the name ‘Reggae Reggae’.

You have been quite a successful musician; you were voted ‘Best Reggae Act’ at the MOBOs in 1988. Who would you say are your main influences musically?

My favourite musician would have to be my grandmother, she means everything to me. She was all about the cooking and the music. I remember she would sing in the choir in our Baptist Church when I was a little boy and through her I gained a love for

music. Obviously Bob Marley also played a big part in my life, but essentially it was my grandmother.

What’s your one special tip for cooking Caribbean food?

Well I treat cooking like I treat music, if I’m writing a song and I have the lyrics and melody to make something beautiful, that’s what it’s like in the kitchen. One pot in cooking is the greatest way to learn; just you the pot and some Caribbean flavours.

When I created ‘Reggae Reggae’ the aim wasn’t to make a hot pepper sauce. I wanted to create something that was flavoursome - something that would actually enhance the flavour of food and that to me is the secret. The sauce that I became famous for doesn’t blow your head off; it’s something everybody can enjoy. It’s a marinade, it’s a side sauce, it’s a relish, it can be used for anything!

So is Caribbean still your favourite?Caribbean food has arrived now, so I often

wonder what I can merge it with next. Our newest addition to the brand comes in the form of ‘Rasta Pasta’ putting a Caribbean twist on an Italian classic, which I think is great because Italian food is my favourite.

Do you think your food has brought a new market from Jamaica and influenced the food we eat in the UK at all?

I hope so. I know the effect of television has been great, especially with my show ‘Caribbean Food Made Easy’. It’s been fantastic to raise the profile of Caribbean food and I think that’s what we need; because if it’s not on TV sometimes it’s very hard to make people aware.

I don’t think it’s about me, it’s about Caribbean food, but if I can be a market leader in that I’ll take it baby! It’s great that people are allowing me to do this, recently the British pallet has opened up and welcomed all kinds of different flavours and everyone is getting behind it.

Notting Hill Carnival is a fantastic celebration of Caribbean food, do you still go each year?

Levi first hit our TV screens in 2006 when he surprised the Dragons with his guitar and catchy tune as he introduced his homemade ‘Reggae Reggae’ sauce. Since then he has become a household name and gone on to launch his own food range, cookbooks and TV cooking shows.

Is there anything this man can’t do?

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I didn’t go this year. It was one of the first years where I didn’t go. I’m always there in spirit though; the sauce is from there so that place will always mean a lot to me. I haven’t forgotten preparing jars of it in the flat with my kids, then heading out to the streets to sell it.

What do you think is the secret to your success?

I’m just doing what I love, so I would have to say be yourself. I didn’t know who those Dragons were. Had I known, I don’t think I would have performed true to myself, I would have been scared before I had even arrived! Not knowing, I was able to just be myself, performing with my guitar and just going with the vibe. I’ve been doing that ever since I started this whole thing and hopefully I can continue, because I love being me! I think that’s the best advice I can give to anyone about business, you’ve got to be your own USP – your own unique selling point! Because if people don’t like you it doesn’t matter what you’re selling, they don’t want it.

My mentor Peter Jones, my 7ft pet dragon, said the same thing to me after Dragons’

Den. I said to Peter am I going to play this, because I’m coming from the land of music where I control everything, but here I’m an entrepreneur where it’s more of a team effort and he said – ‘Levi just be you!’

So has Peter provided you with a lot of support as your mentor and business partner?

There are two things I got when I came out of Dragons’ Den; one was the money I went in for: £50,000 from Peter and Richard, but I think the best thing I got out of it was the mentoring of a man who I now consider to be one of my greatest friends. I have met some great people in my life (He’s not kidding, the list includes Bob Marley and he sang happy birthday to Nelson Mandela) and saddling between those two powerful men is Peter Jones; a great influence for me and someone I will always need.

Did you ever think your recipes could be so successful?

If you have a dream you have to realise it takes a lot of hard work to get there. Success doesn’t happen overnight; it can come as quickly as it goes. Every morning when I wake up it feels like a dream.

What are your plans for the future? We are always looking to expand. In this

business you never stop growing. In the five years since the brand has been around I’ve always looked for new ways to reinvent myself.

words by Stephanie Orr, Jessica Pook

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Highly skilled chef Giles Denton runs the bakery at one of Sodexo’s flagship sites: HSBC in Canary Wharf. With the Great British public discovering

a renewed passion for all things baked in recent years, we were excited to see what innovative ideas Giles had to bring to the table this Christmas.

In November 2009, The Bake brand was developed at HSBC GHQ to promote the ‘freshly made in house’ ethos of the company. Giles used the brand to convey the message that all of his products used fresh ingredients, free range eggs, unsalted butter and most importantly, are baked fresh.

Next month, the Bake brand celebrates its third birthday. In this relatively short space of time, Bake has increased the numbers produced in-house from around 5500 items per week up to a huge 10-12,500. Giles chatted to us about his role within the company. “I’m based in the production kitchen and I work in the patisserie side. We branded Bake because we found that customers didn’t realise the food was all made in-house; they thought we brought it all in. So we created a brand so people recognised that it is in-house baking. I did demonstrations and was constantly out on the floors doing presentations just to get that message through.”

Giles also told us how the bakery element of the business is taking over other sectors: “Since day one we have been

INNOVATIVE BAKERY IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS:

GILES DENTONincreasing our bakery line; where it used to be 50/50 now we’re looking at 5% patisserie, and 95% bakery, so it’s completely switched. And we make far more money out of the bakery than we do on the patisserie. It’s got a much better margin.”

We were surprised to discover that throughout the year at Bake, Oat & Raisin remains the biggest crowd pleaser. “Oat and raisin is always our biggest seller. It sells more than the butter croissants which is usually the biggest seller in bakeries. It’s quite surprising isn’t it? I think it’s because it is less sweet, it feels more wholesome the way we make it, therefore people feel less guilty about eating it. It’s got exactly the same stuff in it as everything else has got; but we don’t use anything artificial at all, so it’s all natural ingredients, all free range, unsalted butters, that sort of thing.”

Giles offered some advice for any budding bakers or pâtissiers out there: “Keep going, keep trying, because a failure still tastes good. Unless you’ve burnt it completely, even if it fails because of the ingredients in it, it still tastes good, so you’re not exactly wasting it. The thing is, like everything it’s a pleasure; it’s one of the basic pleasures in life. Too many people tell you how bad it is for you, but it’s one of those things where a little bit of what you fancy definitely does you good.”

words by Yasmine Najib

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As the judges struggled to lift their forks after endless tests and tastes, the hot puddings presented had to be exceptional to win them over. Of all the sights

and smells on the day, we weren’t prepared for the jaw drop-ping deliciousness of swirling chocolate melting away, roasted plums crackling with sweet juices or cream and meringue being whipped to snowy peaks.

The rules were simple: competitors had 30 minutes to prepare, cook and present two portions of a hot dessert, using fresh plums. How or where they included the fruit was up to the creativity of the chefs – and creative they certainly were. One competitor prepared a roast plum ‘soup’ served with lightly toasted Italian meringues which unusual as it was, seemed the perfect sweet, winter treat for a cold day.

Judge Dan Arratoon confirmed the importance of innovative ideas: “We want to see unique approaches to incorporating the fresh plum. Presentation as ever, is absolutely key.” This was a point not missed by Ellis Etherington, who served her plum and frangipane tart with a cheerful purple daisy, making her offering even sweeter.

This heat had the increased pressure of creating a dish with com-plimenting flavours: “Plums tend to be very sweet,” one judge said, “The challenge will be balancing it out with a less sugary accom-paniment,” and while the plum soup served with meringue might have been an intense sugar hit, another competitor got the balance just right - and went on to win best in class for his efforts.

Rob Hickmott prepared a chocolate fondant which was served with poached plums, tuille biscuits and plum syrup. Perhaps the judges were getting full, or maybe their tooth isn’t as sweet as ours, either way we got a little nibble and we can see why it won. Even under pressure Rob’s poached plums were soft and full of fruity flavour while his fondant had the perfect, melting soft centre, which can be so difficult to achieve. He did confess this wasn’t the first time he’s made this particular dessert: “Practice

HotPuddings

The very last dish of the day had to be good.. .

really does make perfect,” he said, when we asked for some tips on how to get our puds as delectable as his. “That and keeping a clean, tidy kitchen, you can’t work efficiently otherwise,” he said, and he would know; having worked for Sodexo for five years, preparing food for nearly 700 Navy personnel a day. With a vic-tory at his second Salon Culinaire event his skills are going to be in demand, our mouths are already watering in anticipation of next year’s dish.

words by Rachel Kennedy

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GREAT WAYS WITH FLORA

Whether it’s on toast, jackets or in cakes we all need a bit of butter to add some happiness to the duller foods in our lives,

but as we struggle with the endless battle between what tastes good and what does good, there’s no denying that butter is an

enemy, waiting to clog up our arteries.

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TOP FLORA BUTTERY TIPS:• DRIZZLE OVER FRESHLY STEAMED ASPARAGUS

SPEARS

• TRY ON A STEAMING BAKED POTATOES

• GREAT FOR SHALLOW FRYING AND BAKING

• TRY ON SANDWICHES AND TOAST

• GREAT IN A HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

However you may have heard that there’s a new spread on the shelves. A revolutionary spread that looks the same and tastes the same but is healthier. Flora Buttery contains

just 1.6g saturated fat, compared to butter with 5.4g per serving and is made with seed oils containing heart-healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6, ideal when maintaining a healthy diet.

Here at Sodexo we wanted to prove that you can indulge in a healthy spread whilst still enjoying a rich butter-like taste without the guilt, cue the experiment.

The test consisted of identifying which out of the two squares of brownie was made from healthier option Flora buttery by identifying the difference in taste and texture.

Most of the participants confirmed that the brownie made with Flora buttery had more of a gooey texture then the one made with normal butter and tasted just as rich and naughty as it’s made with buttermilk, ideal for baking.

We spoke to Nick Parnell, an experienced chef of 17-years and buttery lover, who gave a demonstration about all the great ways to use Flora Buttery.

“We need to make people aware of our product and how it can help them maintain a healthy diet. By replacing butter with Flora buttery they can reduce the amount of saturated fat and serve a healthy dish as buttery is 72% less fat than normal butter.”

Although Nick has 17 years experience in the kitchen it hasn’t always gone smoothly “I’ve been stabbed in the kitchen, my colleagues were messing around with a knife and spun it on the table, as I walked past it got me. I had to go to hospital and have 12 stitches but not before I had finished the dish I was making, so I worked with clingfilm wrapped around me.”

When asked about the pressure that chefs face, especially in some of

the competitions we have seen today Nick said “I think as a chef you learn to cook under pressure it’s what we do from a young age.”

Nick was especially enthusiastic about using Flora buttery in a good old Sunday lunch, “Spread it all over the roast chicken to give it that golden crispy outside”, a favourite dish of his which he couldn’t help brag about.

We asked Nick how successful he thought the event had been today to which he answered “It’s been a really good day and we have had lots of positive feedback, we’ve just had Matt Dawson get the buttery challenge right so we can go home happy now.”

Flora buttery is available in stores now.

words by Jessica Pook

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PICK OF THE DAY: SHARON ANN RILEYHaving only being with the company for just over a month, and with five awards until her belt from this year’s salon alone, it is easy to see that Sharon is going to do very well within Sodexo. Her bubbly spirit and excitement for the day was just infectious, and it clearly paid off.

We quickly grabbed a moment with Sharon shortly after the announcement that she had

won the gold award for her novelty cake – the inspiration for which came from the hippos swimming around on the BBC advert. Innovation at its best.

“I’ve only been with Sodexo for about a month, so this is all completely new to me, I’ve never been here before so I’ve really been chucked in at the deep end. I have done cakes for quite a long time but I’ve never entered anything like this before so it was really good fun. It’s just all been really good fun. I’m so chuffed; I’m bouncing off the walls!”

As well as her incredible cake, Sharon also created a mouth watering collaboration in the Hot Deli Sandwich and Wrap category bagging herself ‘Best in Class’. If you missed the live show itself, competitors had 20 minutes to prepare and serve one bread based sandwich and one wrap of their choice, and boy were there some good choices.

Her creation of a ‘Smokey Joe’s sandwich including chicken, portobello mushroom and pancetta served with garlic mayonnaise

and cherry tomato jam, had us all wanting to lean over the barrier and grab ourselves a bite. Teaming this with her vegan ‘Power Up’ mediterranean herb wrap, filled with roasted peppers, butternut squash, houmous, chick peas, toasted omega enriched seeds, juicy apricots, and spinach, meant that there was something for everyone’s taste. It certainly gave us a few ideas for spicing up our lunch at home.

The purpose of the Salon is to encourage competitors to showcase their talents and to learn from their experiences and as a new addition to the Sodexo family, she has definitely done exceedingly well at showing everyone just what she can do. Debbie White; CEO, tells us: “Our development of aspiring future stars is testament to our commitment to great food.” – and if this year’s Salon is anything to go by, Sharon is sure to be a future star within the company.

words by Louise Tansley

•Cupcakes–BronzeAward•Tapas-SilverAwardand Best in Class

•HotDeliSandwichandWrap–BestinClass (Silver Award)

•DecoratedNoveltyCake–GoldAward

•Filledand/orCoveredSponge, Gateau or Cake–BestInClass(Gold Award)

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Infusing a taste of oriental to the day was the Blue Dragon challenge, where four competitors took to the stage to cook a dish of their choice using products from the Blue Dragon range.

The cook off, which was timed to 30 minutes, saw: Christopher Baldwin, Pete Betts, Paul Farrer and Maria Slight take to the kitchens to prepare, cook and present two identical dishes, which had been made using Blue Dragon ingredients to promote a light, healthy and seasonal meal.

With their fingers trembling to achieve the perfect finish to their dishes it looked like tough competition for all competitors. The presentation of the meals looked exceptional and it was clear to see a lot of hard work and concentration had gone into all dishes.

Tom Parry, an executive chef who was one of the judge’s for this competition said: “I’m looking for innovation, a good technique and originality, in other words if I was eating it I would want to pay for it!”

Paul Farrer was crowned the winner achieving a Bronze (best in class) for his dish of pan-fried duck breast and stir-fried vegetables, served with oriental mash potato. As it had been the first year the Blue Dragon competition had run, Paul admitted it had been tough,

but that he had thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite burning his hand in a cooking incident a few days before, the chef still showed he has what it takes to win!

Maria Slight came second achieving a Merit for her dish of, stir-fried noodles cooked with Blue Dragon’s Thai green paste and coconut milk. Speaking to Maria after the competition, the chef from Gosport, Southampton, who has been working in the catering industry for 15 years, said she enjoyed the competition although it was tense challenge. Asking her whether she cooked well under pressure she said: “I don’t mind really because that’s what being a chef is about.” Maria explained also that she is a vegetarian and her favourite dishes to cook are vegetarian lasagnes and curries.

As the catering industry often appears to be quite male dominated, interestingly it doesn’t seem to phase Maria who works in a kitchen with only two women.words by Louise Tansley

Speaking about this she said: “It’s very much like this in the catering world to be honest, chefs always seem to be mostly men, but it doesn’t bother me too much because catering has always been something which means a lot to me.”

CHALLENGE

BLUE DRAGON

THE

words by Stephanie Orr

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STREET FOODWITH ALLESANDRO

CRISTIANO

Allesandro wowed the crowds with Japanese Octopus Dumpling Balls, known as Takoyaki, a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour based batter and

cooked in a special Takoyaki pan. “The Takoyaki is made with the same recipe as the Yorkshire pudding, and made in a Japanese dumpling pan which is again, similar to a Yorkshire pudding tin. I still don’t really understand who had the idea first, hence why I am so intrigued by this dish.”

The second demo was Sicilian Suppli; Sicilian Stuffed rice balls. “You know Italians they love their Risotto; so any left over from my Risotto is turned into Arancini.”

Allesandro spoke about the amazing flavours in street food, mixing and matching ingredients and flavours, but the need for the finished product to retain its authenticity. He emphasised that provenance is key if you want to sell!

But just why has street food become so popular as of late? Allesandro shared with us what he considers to be some of the biggest influences for the recent surge in street grub. “I think the recession has helped street food, because of the cost, for example, if you are alone, you wouldn’t want to go and sit by yourself in a restaurant for an hour, that’s one issue. Second the money, you can fill up your stomach for a fiver, you don’t need to queue, you don’t need to talk with people, you just need to place your order and go.”

But is it just the cheap and cheerful approach to street food that has customers queuing round the block, as well as chefs trying to recreate that street vendor vibe in their own kitchens? Allesandro cites reminiscence as one of the key factors in its increasing popularity. “Definitely it’s a bit of nostalgia, for example, you’ve travelled to Malaysia, you come back, you remember a curry, and you try to re-create that memory, and you know, people follow fashion, so it’s all in the creativity of trying. I think the main advantage is the credit crunch, and the fact you can get a decent burger for the same price you would pay for one in McDonalds.”

Currently at Leathams, Allesandro and the team are doing huge amounts of work on street food development, which he predicts will continue to grow and evolve in the future to become more authentic. “I do research on what is popular at the moment and explore the main cuisines that are involved. Our innovation is customer led, so if the customer asks me to source a product for street food, I try to go out and look for that kind of innovation.”

If you would like to try out any of the recipes Allesandro demonstrated at Salon Culinaire, please visit the Leathams homepage at www.leathams.com

words by Yasmmine Najib

After a particularly gruesome butchery demonstration came to a close, Salon Culinaire visitors were treated to something a little less gory. Highly skilled chef and Head of Food development at Leathams, Allesandro Cristiano shared with guests his favourite

street foods from recent travels. The demonstration was designed to showcase how you can recreate that popular street food look

and feel in your own restaurant.

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IND

IAN

SUM

MER

WITH

CYR

US T

OD

IWA

LAof authentic Indian ingredients.

it’s evident in his cooking, which uses an abundance Cyrus Todiwala is incredibly proud of his Indian heritage and

Having grown up in a small Indian village he talks passionately about his country’s appreciation for good food; the mounds of red peppers which fill the fields at harvest, the Ria Festival during which different rice dishes are prepared daily and the integral nature of banana leaves in Indian cooking. Equally, he goes on to describe how fortunate we are in Britain to have such a wealth of food

resources available to us, and how important it is to support this. As a chef he does everything he can to support British produce, using 98% British meat in his cooking. “History of food is really important and sometimes we forget we live in one of the most privileged countries in the world, with some of the best produce available to us. And a great national health service!” he said.

For his Salon Culinaire demonstration Cyrus prepared a medley of dishes including spiced rice with coconut, a quick vegetable torrine with runner beans, squash, carrot and fresh coconut, and fresh fish in banana leaf. As he prepared the dishes; frying, sealing and boiling simultaneously, he offered advice for preparing the perfect Indian dishes. The importance of having a coconut milk of exactly the right consistency and the benefits of incorporating black mustard seeds, a natural anti-flatulent which will help the body digest some of the spicier recipes. While his dishes were predominantly made to traditional Indian recipes, using the herbs and spices of his country, he continually refers back to his European training. Having studied and worked in both France and Britain the dishes he prepared today have

a highly polished presentation and utilise cooking methods and skills learnt in Europe. He frequently commented on the differences in meal preparation – particularly when it comes to rice which in England, he says, is ‘too polished’. It doesn’t need washing like the rice he’s cooked with in India: “There you have to wash away mud and grit and stones!” he explains.

Having grown up in one of the first Indian villages to speak English fluently and utilise this to trade and do business, Cyrus has gone on to be awarded an OBE and earlier this year he received the prestigious Special Award from the Craft Guild of Chefs. Past winners have included highly prominent chefs including Raymond Blanc, the Roux Brothers and Heston Blumenthal and Cyrus recognised the honour claiming he was: “in good company”.

Over the summer months Cyrus has been working with Sodexo, adapting some of his dishes into something they can reproduce at various events. The project, ‘Indian Summer’ will give Sodexo clients an unparalleled opportunity to experience unique Indian dishes designed to the highest standard. “As a company they are very dedicated to producing authentic food, which is really important to me. Together, we’ve created five original recipes, with good, strong Indian flavours,” he said. But for those who don’t get to experience these dishes, Cyrus’ book ‘International Cuisine: India’ is a wealth of innovative recipes, advice and tips placed in their cultural context.

words by Rachel Kennedy

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somethingsavory

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and sweet“WE LIKE TO SEE INNOVATIVE IDEAS, I TRIED ONE EARLIER WITH SALTED CARAMEL AND THERE’S BEEN A POPPING CANDY FLAVOUR TOO.” STATIC CAKE JUDGE

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The Great Omelette Challenge

with the highest and most in demand accolade was… The Great Omelette Challenge.

With entrants in double figures, and the competition open to all, the pans were hot throughout the day with a constant

supply of super fast omelettes available to onlookers.The omelette is a quick, easy meal, bringing a change from the other intricate dish competitions and a welcomed break by many from top chefs to the public.The rules were simple. Entrants had to produce an omelette using pasteurized liquid egg and grated cheese in the fastest time.Butter was allowed to be added to the pan in advance, and the eggs whisked but time did not start until the egg hit the pan. The amount of tries was unlimited but the omelette had to look as it should and taste well enough to serve to the audience. Sodexo ambassador Matt Dawson was one of the many entrants to take to the stove. Competing against a long leader board and his agent, the heat of the competition got the better of him and he lost, serving an omelette that was not up to the judge’s standards ruining his chances of reaching the semi finals.After a long day of competitions and record times of under 11 seconds, the semi finals took place at the end of the day.The final four contestants consisted of three chefs and one member of the audience, all with one last chance to beat their previous time and impress the judges.After a series of heats and serious taste tests the winner was announced.Ben Tamlyn, Executive Head Chef at Henderson Global Investors is now the proud owner of the Great Omelette Challenge winner title.29-year-old Ben was at the event to support his fellow employees and to team captain for a dinner the night before for top clients and guests. When asked what his secret to glory was Ben simply said ‘Get angry with your omelette!’A big thanks goes out to all participants and judges and a special thank you to sponsor Blue Arrow.

words by Kristine Waite

One of the biggest and most competitive events of the Sodexo Salon Culinare 2012,

H e re a re B e n ’ s t ip s fo r cre a t in g a fa s t yet d e l i c i o u s o m e l et t e :

To ensure it cooks fast and thorough you need a good heat in your pan.

Add a few knobs of butter and make sure your eggs are whisked and ready

Ben’s top tip was to wait until the butter is a nut-brown colour before adding egg to the pan. This creates a large surface area of heat ensuring the egg will cook quicker.

Tip the eggs into the pan and whisk not forgetting to add a little seasoning.

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Overall Winner of the Day

After we took some time out from admiring the culinary delights on offer; we had a five minute catch up

with our crowned Overall Winner of the Day, Account Manager Lorraine Thomas. The self taught home

baker started out at Sodexo nearly five years ago as a General Service Manager at Carpet Right. Despite the

fact she has no formal craft training, she stole the show at the Salon Culinaire with her creative cupcakes,

gaining ‘Best in Class’, ‘Best in Show’ in the Static classes and the biggest accolade of the day; ‘Overall Best

in Show’. Lorraine’s irresistible treats were entered in the Cupcake Static competition consisting of 3 mouth-

watering flavours. “I did a carrot cake filled with salted caramel, with a cream cheese and caramel frosting; topped with

macadamia nuts. Then I did a lemon cake filled with fresh raspberries with a fresh lemon and raspberry butter-cream frosting

and finally, a chocolate chip cheesecake.”The ‘Class SB: Cup Cakes’ category (sponsored by Premier Foods)

meant each baker had to present aselection of three varieties including chocolate and lemon plus one

other flavour of the competitor’s choice.These stipulations were two of each variety of each flavour of cupcake,

totalling at 6. Lorraine wowed thejudges with her imaginative entry ensuring her cakes wholly fitted the

guidelines: ‘Perfectly executed cupcakes that were pleasing in appearance, texture and taste.’The three times gold medallist talked to us about how her love of

baking began. “It all sort of started a coupleof years ago when I brought a Hummingbird Bakery cookbook, then

I just started making cupcakes and baking at home withmy daughter. Cupcakes have become a little bit of a hobby; I do some

for kid’s parties and for friends at weekends. They seem to

have taken off in recent years; everybody’s selling them and cupcake stores are popping up everywhere!”

A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into her award winning entries. As well as baking the winning cakes we

saw on the day, Lorraine also perfected her cakes with a trial run at home on the Saturday, delivering any

spares to lucky friends and family.As if the three gold medals and certificates Lorraine received at the

awards ceremony were not enough, shealso received a very special prize as the Overall Winner of the Day, “I

get to go to the ‘Sodexo Star Awards,’ whichwas the prize for the ‘Best in Show’, which is taking place on the 22nd

November at the Westminster Plaza Hotel.” The StarAwards ceremony is the highlight of the Sodexo calendar where

hundreds of employees come together torecognise the talent, dedication and loyalty of people who, as

individuals and team members, have epitomisedtheir values and helped drive performance, and which this year

Lorraine will be a part of.On Lorraine’s 4th year of entering, she explained that she always

takes part to encourage her team to enterand enjoys leading by example. We had just enough time to ask who

her biggest influence is in the kitchen..And it’s the name that is on everyone’s lips in the baking world, “Well

I think Celebrity Master Baker and judge onBBC’s Great British Bake off Paul Hollywood is the one at the

moment isn’t he?! I love him! It would have been fantastic towin a day with him as a prize!”

words by Yasmine Najib

“YOU’VE GOT TO ENJOY COOKING AND HAVE A PASSION FOR COOKING, BUT IT’S NOT JUST FOR CHEFS,ANYONE CAN DO IT!”

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A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors...

And to Our Judges...John Retallick, Master of CeremoniesSteve Scuffell, Crown Moran HotelsSteve Munkley, The Royal Garden HotelSimon Stocker, Westminster Kingsway CollegeDavid Grindrod, Bourne LeisureMark Rigby, Premier FoodsSheila Lampkin, Chef ConsultantMatt Owens, ZuidamGraham Crump, University of WarwickSteve Love, McCormick UK LtdPeter Pelham, University of West LondonPeter Griffiths, Salon CulinaireOmero Gallucci, Chef ConsultantChristopher Basten, Chef ConsultantIan Grout, Queen Anne’s SchoolDan Arratoon, Evolve Hospitlaity

Nick Sinclair, Brooklands Hotel SurreyCathy AdamsonGemma AmorKeith BurtonMark CheethamMarie ConnGiles DentonAmanda KempAlexandra KristallGlynn LawrenceTom ParryPaul PrestonDerek ReillySue WalkerMandy WalterMark Wetherill

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