Deadline for Entries to Zest Quest Asia Extended
Zest Quest Asia, brainchild of Cyrus Todiwala OBE, is a competition for young British chefs to demonstrate their Asian cooking skills. The deadline for entries has been extended to December 5 to enable more students and colleges to take part. The competition’s aim is to unlock a desire among young chefs to follow a career in Asian cuisine.
The competition also seeks to highlight the £3 billion Asian food industry in the UK and the need for more new chefs to specialise in the cuisine. A range of top companies from the catering industry have already pledged to sponsor the competition including Tilda Rice, Cavity Protection Systems, Panasonic and 3663.
Todiwala, Chef Patron of Café Spice Namaste, Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen, The Park Café and the new Assado in London, said: “Having consulted with a number of colleges that have shown a keen interest in the competition, the consensus appears to be that moving the deadline so that the entry process, the cook-off and the gala dinner all fall within the academic year will ease the way for even more students and their tutors to take part and win a fabulous study trip to Asia.”
Zest Quest Asia welcomes entries from student teams of three, plus their lecturer, drawn from catering colleges across the UK. The team then cooks a 4-course Pan Asian menu and holds a presentation to judges, designed to highlight their knowledge about the evolution of international cuisines, sustainability and appreciation of Asian cuisine. Last year, a team from Westminster Kingsway won first prize. They got the opportunity to go on a 10-day sojourn that took them through Delhi, Bombay and Poona.
The closing date for entries to Zest Quest Asia is December 5, 2014. After that, the finalists are chosen for the cook-off. This event will be held at the Hilton London Heathrow T5 on Monday, February 16, 2015, when the winners will be announced at a gala dinner that evening. Entry forms and more information about the competition can be found at www.zestquestasia.com.
By Vera Kleinken
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