TWO Belfast Metropolitan College students have impressed professionals in the catering and hospitality industry.
To celebrate UK Seafood Week, NVQ Level 3 Professional Cookery students Connor Bradley and Isis Palamine competed against students from five Northern Ireland colleges in the Big College Seafood Cook Off.
Isis scooped the Chef’s Choice Award as one of the most promising future chefs.
She said: “I did not expect to win anything other than pure knowledge from these amazing chefs; receiving such an award was an honour.”
The winning, locally sourced, dish was prepared, cooked and adjudicated at the Mourne Seafood Bar Belfast with the guidance of their mentor, Andy Rea of Mourne Seafood Bar.
Culinary mentors included Stephen Jeffers and Wayne Carville of the Mourne Seafood Bar and Cookery School, along with Danny Millar of Balloo Inns, Paula McIntyre of Radio Ulster and Raymond McArdle of Maisons Restaurant.
All the competing colleges served meals at a dinner for government and top names in the culinary industry.
Connor enjoyed another career opportunity at the recent Hospitality Exchange Industry Chef Conference at the Europa Hotel, assisting Michelin star chefs Dannie Barry (Deanes EIPIC Belfast) and Ollie Dabbouse (Dabbouse, London) on stage in front of an industry based audience.
Connor said: “It was a great opportunity to work alongside three amazing chefs.
It’s unbelievable how much you can learn at competitions in a short time. In a few days I learned about the local seafood of Ireland alongside our chef mentor Andy Rea.
I would recommend taking part in competitions to any culinary students wanting to advance in their career.” Belfast Met Lecturer in Culinary Arts, Thomas Turley, said: “I am very proud of Connor and Isis’s achievements.
“Competitions and conferences are an ideal way for chefs to raise their profile and network with leading professionals and that is why we encourage all of our catering students to step up and take part in them.”