Master of Culinary Arts 2013 finals completed
Seventeen finalists are facing the nervous wait to see if they have emerged victorious in this year’s Master of Culinary Arts.
The Restaurant Management & Service final took place at La Gavroche on 21 September and the Pastry final at Westminster Kingsway College on 28 September and now, after a six and a half hour test last Saturday, the chefs section of the competition has also been completed at University College Birmingham.
The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner at Claridge’s on Thursday 31 October. After battling through regional qualifiers, the finalists are:
CHEFS
| William Best | Sous Chef | Wiltons Restaurant |
| David Bush | Senior Chef de Partie | House of Commons |
| Robin D’Souza | Senior Sous Chef | Le Meridien Piccadilly |
| Jeremy Ford | Chef Director | Restaurant Associates |
| Frederick Forster | Head Chef | The Boundary, Shoreditch |
| Jeff Galvin | Chef Patron | Galvin Restaurants |
| Raj Holuss | Sous Chef | The Ritz London |
| Steve Love | Chef Proprietor | Love’s, Birmingham |
PASTRY CHEFS
| William Curley | Patissier Chocolatier | William Curley |
| Denis Drame | Executive Pastry Chef | Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa |
| Paul Williams | Senior Sous Chef Pastry | Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons |
RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE
| Mourad Ben Tekfa | Restaurant Director | Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons |
| Luigi Cagnin | Deputy Restaurant Manager | The Ritz London |
| Sergio Cappello | Restaurant Manager | The Travellers Club |
| David Galetti | Head Sommelier | Le Gavroche |
| Robert Rose | Restaurant Manager | Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road |
| Elaine Watson | Food & Beverage Support Services Manager | Gleneagles Hotel |
Chef finalists had six and a half hours to prepare and present a whole poached turbot with three garnishes and a saddle of venison with three garnishes, each for eight covers and to be presented on a silver platter.
Pastry Chef finalists had to present a large centrepiece along a musical theatre theme then, during the ten hour examination, produce a small centrepiece inspired by their main piece; a Gateaux St Honoré; Lollipops; Croissants and sweet pastries; and six portions of a plated dessert as designed for their entry to the competition.
Restaurant Management & Service finalists were assessed in their preparation for and the service of a four-course meal together with an aperitif, four wines and a digestive, for a table of three covers and a table of four covers.
All were aiming to impress a large group of judges, chaired by David Pitchford, proprietor at Read’s Restaurant with Rooms.
Entrants for the MCA must be currently employed full-time within the United Kingdom as a chef, pastry chef or in restaurant service and management and must have at least 10 years full-time experience in their specific trade.
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