Devonshire Dome Restaurant students show their zest for Asian food
Culinary Arts students who practise their craft at the Devonshire Dome Restaurant as part of their education with the University of Derby have won a place in the final of a national competition.
The Hospitality and Culinary Arts students who create, cook and serve their cooking in the Devonshire Dome’s Restaurant will battle it out in February with five other colleges, institutes and universities for the Zest Quest Asia title, a competition designed to spice up job prospects for young chefs.
Britain’s continuously growing appetite for Asian food has created a demand for trained chefs which isn’t being met, says celebrity chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE, who designed the competition in collaboration with the Master Chefs of Great Britain to promote the potential of a career in Asian cookery to catering students.
At the Devonshire Dome Restaurant, Asian cookery is already on the menu as part of its International Cuisine Module, which features Indian, Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese and Malaysian food.
Last year, student Anthony Wood made it to the final of the Wing Yip Oriental Chef of the Year contest.
Experienced culinary Lecturer Leonard Cseh said: “There’s a big market for this area of knowledge and skills. It’s not just about being able to cook, but also being able to understand the principles behind what those flavours mean.
“That includes knowing about the provenance of the ingredients, the heritage behind them and how to develop new dishes.”
Students Rokas Vitkauskas, Dominic Hindle and Ben Leatham presented plans for a three course meal, complete with full details of ingredients, preparation, costing and profit projections – a vital part of the University’s drive to produce young entrepreneurs.
Mr Todiwala, whose Café Namaste in London helped start a revolution by bringing authentic Asian food to the UK, has stated that because they are so well travelled, the British public have the most discerning palates in the world.
To meet this demand, the University’s exceptional Hospitality course brings global players to Buxton to demonstrate the latest trends, including Nando Belmonte, Executive Chef for Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando™ in Florida.