A Passion to Inspire winners 2015 are crowned

Colchester Institute has been announced as winners of A Passion to Inspire after competing against four other teams in the grand final that took place within the kitchens and restaurants at Edmunds, West Suffolk College.

Focusing on every aspect of the process: from students’ knowledge of produce, to designing and costing their menus, to front of house presentation and service of food, the competition also seeks to bring added benefits to the participating students and colleges by creating new links between professional chefs, suppliers of local produce and further education.

To reach the finals the teams of three students from five colleges (Cambridge Regional College, City College Norwich, Colchester Institute and West Suffolk College and The College West Anglia) had to come through an earlier round of heats, with over 90 students being involved.

The student teams were each made up of two chefs and one front of house member. Prior to the final, each student team was paired with a top local chef as their mentor for the final.

The chef mentors were:

• Chris (Buzz) Busby (City College Norwich)


• Matt Willby, executive chef, The Royal Hospital School


• Ian Rhodes, general manager and executive chef of Le Talbooth Restaurant (Colchester Institute)


• Stuart Ascott, chef at The Leaping Hare (West Suffolk College)


• Alan Paton- executive chef Stoke By Nayland Hotel (Cambridge Regional College)


• Sam Bryant, head chef, Dabbling Duck (The College of West Anglia)

For the final, each team had just two hours preparation time followed by an hour of service in which to produce a three course meal for four covers. The students were challenged to come up with their own creative and personal dishes, with the same set of ingredients to work from.

The competition judges-  Shara Ross (Director and general manager of Hotel Felix), Paul Foster (head chef of Mallory Court), Nick Mills (Managing Director of Brasteds) Mark Poynton (chef patron of Restaurant Alimentum), Eric Snaith (head chef of Titchwell Manor ) and Nick Claxton Webb (head chef of Congham Hall)  – scored the students on all aspects of the preparation and service of their dishes, from working methods and hygiene, to seasonality and flavour of the dishes, to the students’ timing and presentation at the table.

Following a high quality demonstration of skills and knowledge from all of the finalists, Colchester Institute team of Charlie Dorney, Amy Plumb and Sophie Miller were announced as the worthy winners of “A Passion to Inspire” 2015.

Colchester Institute’s winning dishes were:

• Pan fried Norfolk Quail - sweetcorn purée (Carved at the table by Sophie),


• Pinot noir, France


• Ballotine of skate with a fennel and salmon mousse, cucumber beurre blanc


• Chardonnay, Les Mougeottes,France


• Dessert -  Iced strawberries, white chocolate parfait


• Moscatod'Asti Moncucco, Italy