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Historic
50th Anniversary Bournemouth Hotel and Catering Show |
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Celebrity chef
Lesley Waters bashing a giant golden glitter-coated croquembouche
(profiterole mountain) with a cleaver to officially mark the opening
of the event, alongside two stilt-walking chefs. |
The 50th
anniversary Bournemouth Hotel & Catering Exhibition attracted
thousands to the Bournemouth International Centre to celebrate half a
century of hospitality in the south region. The event featured the
latest equipment and services from over 200 brands from across the UK
alongside local producers from the south. |
The second
largest Salon Culinaire forum in the UK, the Wessex Salon Culinaire,
featured 290 up and coming chefs competing in a series of culinary
competitions. Seth Le Noury from the Royal Bath Hotel was the best in
class gold winner in the Wessex Shield Challenge, sponsored by
Coastline Produce and Major International, and Imthiaz Kader from Zen
Oriental in Heathrow was awarded a gold medal in the Rungis Chef of
the Year.
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Steve
Scuffell, of the Craft Guild of Chefs and Salon Coordinator said,
"The Culinaire provided a platform for the UK's top chefs as
well as new local talent to display their skills, and winning chefs
were rewarded with prizes throughout the event and at an evening
Awards Reception. The standards were extremely high this year and we
were delighted with the enthusiasm of the participants, who produced
a selection of very impressive dishes. This year we introduced some
new competitions and it was apparent that the new challenges were
very well received. We look forward to creating the 2007 schedule." |
David Ryan of
the Rungis Club with Imthiaz Kader from Zen Oriental in Heathrow who
was awarded a gold medal in the Rungis Chef of the Year. |
Following the
show opening by Lesley Waters, the UK's top chefs demonstrated their
skills in the Bournemouth and Poole College Cookery Theatre,
sponsored by Electrolux, creating a vast range of culinary delights.
There were live 'latte art' demonstrations with Simon Robertson,
three times World Barista Championships UK Champion, creating the
perfect lattes and espressos in the Café du Monde Gaggia
Coffee Bar.
Visitors were
treated to a full range of flavours from fresh juices to olives in
the Speciality Food and Drink areas and also in the WestBeach
Champagne and Oyster Bar. The 'naked' calendar chefs also met with
visitors and signed copies of the 2007 Hospitality Action calendar.
The largest traditional cheddar in the UK, weighing half a tonne, was
a popular exhibit and golden 'living statues' and stilt walking chefs
gave visitors a warm welcome.
The event's
sell out Gold Hospitality Ball raised £12,500 for Hospitality
Action through an auction hosted by celebrity chef Brian Turner CBE.
One of the top prizes on the night went for £1500 for the 'New
Forest Hospitality Experience', which included dinner and
accommodation for four at the Hampshire-based Chewton Glen with fine
wines and dinner cooked by its executive head chef, Luke Matthews,
and celebrity chef, James Martin. Guests at the event were treated to
a four course gourmet dinner cooked by Luke and James, alongside
Pierre Chevillard from Pebble Beech in Hampshire and Michael
Womersley of The Three Lions Inn in Stuckton - Hampshire Restaurant
of the Year (2005), as part of a brigade of local chefs. A line up of
highly respected chefs attended the event, and the Rat Pack
entertained guests and kept them dancing until the early hours.
The next
Bournemouth Hotel and Catering Exhibition will take place on 6-7th
March 2007 at the BIC. For information on the Hotel & Catering
Exhibition visit www.hotel-expo.co.uk
or call 01425 485040. |
