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Divisional executive chef Malcolm, who has worked for Sodexo Prestige at events such as Royal Ascot and Chelsea Flower Show for 22 years, led the six-strong Sodexo team, made up of chefs from across its UK and Ireland business, that picked up the award after preparing lunch at the 100 cover, fine-dining restaurant at the event. As part of the competition, rival teams of chefs cooked in front of a live audience made up of friends, family, colleagues, leading industry figures and even Matt Dawson, former England International Rugby player and now a Sodexo ambassador. Malcolm and the team’s five-course menu, which they prepared under timed conditions, included butter poached hake over fennel puree with glazed winter vegetables and caviar beurre blanc; suckling pig five ways with Cornish greens, cider apple and fondant potatoes; and St Clements soufflé with lemon sherbet ice cream and St Clements syrup. The Sodexo team had four hours in which to prepare for the lunchtime service; observed by judges and hundreds of passers-by through the glass walls of the live theatre kitchen. They were marked on their ability to produce a well executed, balanced menu that was both flavoursome and beautifully presented, where the first meal and hundredth meal were of equal quality. In the weeks leading up to the event, Malcolm and the rest of the Sodexo team, who do not normally work together, met on regular basis to review their menu, give each other tips and advice, and practise supporting each other in the kitchen. In addition, the team also entered the ‘team buffet’ competition the following day, securing a silver medal. Malcolm said: “I am delighted that we won a gold medal in such a prestigious competition. It was a great test for us as we don’t normally work together but we managed to utilise the various talent from across the business to come together and create a winning team. I am really proud to receive what is a truly fantastic accolade." David Mulcahy, craft & food development director, Sodexo, said: “La Parade des Chefs is a renowned forum for showcasing culinary excellence and requires intense focus and concentration because of the time constraints. It is a unique opportunity for our chefs to develop their skills and for us to demonstrate the wealth of talent at the heart of our catering business. The team did a fantastic job to win gold. They really pulled together and are a credit not only to Sodexo, but to their profession.” Matt Dawson, Sodexo ambassador and one of the lunch guests added: “Having competed in intense competition environments, both through Rugby and my experiences on Masterchef, I know how difficult it can be to keep focussed. The food was superb and it was really remarkable to see how wonderfully consistent every dish was.” Hotelympia took place from 28 February – 4 March at ExCel London.
Set in the stunning parkland of Burghley House, the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials offers that elusive ‘something different’ at one of Britain’s favourite events. Thursday 2nd - Sunday 5th September, 2010
Back of the net! With Newcastle United back where it belongs in the Premier League, now's the time to get on board with the winning team by holding your next meeting, conference or event at Newcastle's own St James' Park