Army congratulates CH&FS on competition success
Three Army officials visited Colchester Institute’s Centre for Hospitality and Food Studies (CH&FS) on Tuesday 17 February to congratulate them on their success at last year’s field catering competition and talk about career opportunities.
Sergeant Major Dave Asquith, Divisional Catering Warrant Officer at Headquarters 1 (UK) Armoured Division in Germany, Staff Sergeant Steve Camies Master Chef, of 1 Logistic Support Regiment, and Warrant Officer Class 1 Paul Carpenter, the head catering officer at 16 Air Assault Brigade in Colchester, came to the College to encourage students studying on Professional Cookery programmes to enter their annual catering competitions in 2009 after its success last year.
In June 2008, CH&FS were the top performing team at the Rhino Challenge army field-catering competition in Gutersloh, Germany. The successful college team consisted of students Lauren Capp, Sonny Smith and chef lecturer Jason Sant. All three excelled and beat off tough competition from other colleges across the country, to be crowned the best civilian team. In recognition of their success, the team were then presented with an award at the Defence Food Services School 4th Annual NVQ Awards Dinner 2008, on Tuesday 14 October in the Officers Mess, St Omer Barracks, Aldershot.
Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery students Lauren Capp and Sonny Smith, began the day’s presentations by talking about their experiences at the catering competition last year and discussed the kitchen facilities, equipment and small ration portions available to them.
Student Sonny Smith explained, “We had a brilliant time at last year’s army catering competition and hope that our presentation will encourage some other students at the College to enter a team this year again. My experience of working in a field kitchen has helped me to relate to the conditions young chefs face in the army and means I have a much better understanding of what it takes to be a chef in the army.”
The three army officials strongly encouraged the students to enter one of the annual catering competitions this year and then spoke about the food services within the army and the challenges and opportunities available to the young professional chefs. They talked in detail about the reality of being a chef in Afghanistan and the vital role chefs play at the front line.
Representatives from City & Guilds were also guests at the talk and joined the army officials on a guided tour of the CH&FS kitchens and restaurants afterwards.
