Tom Serves Up A Treat

Talented Chef Tom Donald, a Hospitality and Catering student from Doncaster College, had reasons to rejoice as he won The Escoffier Challenge North West Gold Prize, Pastry Chef of the Year 2012… and celebrated his 19th birthday all on the same day.

He had no time to think of his birthday in the run up to the competition as he was putting hours of practice into the dishes he was to serve up before the judges and only mastered the fine details just prior to the event. On the day he produced a Chocolate Cup and Saucer filled with a Coffee Bavarois and layered with Kahlua Jelly, Chocolate Sugar cubes, Raspberry Sorbet and Nougatine Tuille.

Tom said the feedback from the judges was excellent, "They said that mine was the most classic as I used acetate and not a cup mould like everyone else, the sorbet was an excellent colour and cut through the bitterness of the coffee and complimented the dish, they really liked the layers of jelly in the Bavarois."

Tom, who is in his final year at College, enjoyed the competition and will enter the North East competition and if successful there go onto the Nationals in London.

The Escoffier Challenge is a competition run by The Association Culinaire Française and is held across Europe. It brings together student and professional chefs to compete and show off their culinary skills in their respective categories.

And did Tom celebrate twice over? "Yes I certainly did ha ha!" He exclaimed.