The Gold Standard of Excellence celebrated in style
After four long years, we were delighted to see our Cook and Serve Challenge back in the Events Calendar for Venues of Excellence. The gold standard of excellence runs through us all, and this years competition celebrated the outstanding culinary and food service skills from our member venues.
The Celebratory Awards Dinner was held at Nottingham Venues – East Midlands Conference Centre and Orchard Hotel, where 120 guests gathered to enjoy a fantastic evening of good food, wine and great company before the Awards Celebration.
Cook and Serve 2024
14 teams entered for this years competition which was held at Leicester College on Saturday 27th April 2024. Each team consisted of one Chef and Waiter or Waitress.
This years theme was ‘The Gold Thread of Excellence Celebratory Dinner,’ with each Chef preparing a three course menu which was presented and served by the Waiter/Waitress, who had paired wines and cocktails.
Guests are invited to attend the lunch, to be our ‘competition guinea pigs’ to one of the teams and whilst they enjoy the delicious courses, and wines, they are asked to provide our judges with feedback on their customer journey.
in partnership with
The Award Winners in 2024
Chefs:
| Seniors | ||
| Best Starter | Munasche Munchenje | Ashorne Hill |
| Best Main Course | Rhys Hodgson | Rhodes House |
| Best Dessert | Robert Perez | Weston Park |
| Juniors | ||
| Best Starter | Dilhan Sariffo’deen | Victory Services Club |
| Best Main Course | Dilhan Sariffo’deen | Victory Services Club |
| Best Dessert | Lena Cybulska | Wyboston Lakes Resort |
Waiters / Waitresses:
| Seniors | ||
| Best Cocktails | Katie Newham | Imago Venues – Burleigh Court |
| Best Beverage Selection | Stuart Barker | Rhodes House |
| Best Beverage Service | Katie Newham | Imago Venues – Burleigh Court |
| Best Food Service | Katie Newham | Imago Venues – Burleigh Court |
| Juniors | ||
| Best Cocktails | Elloise Hart | Wyboston Lakes Resort |
| Best Beverage Selection | Jessica Bunnage | Wyboston Lakes Resort |
| Best Beverage Service | Elloise Hart | Wyboston Lakes Resort |
| Best Food Service | Jessica Bunnage | Wyboston Lakes Resort |
Overall Winners:
| Champion Chef | Munasche Muchenje | Ashorne Hill |
| Food Service Champion | Katie Newham | Wyboston Lakes Resort |
| Chairman’s Team Award | Imago Venues – Burleigh Court | |
Our 2024 Judges and Sponsors
We would like to thank our judges and sponsors for their time and contribution for making the 2024 Cook and Serve Challenge such a fabulous event:
| Chef Judges | ||
| Graeme Wilson | Vice Chairman – The Master Chefs of Great Britain and ESG Director Wilson Vale | |
| Jack Jarman | Area Manager, Wilson Vale (Chef Champion 2019) | |
| Claire Clark | City and Guilds Prince Phillip Medallist | |
| Darren Creed | Hospitality and Travel and Chef Lecturer, Loughborough College | |
| Front of House Judges | ||
| Nicky Randall | Programme Area Manager for Hospitality and Food, Leicester College | |
| Athina Vasileiou | Food and Beverage Manager, Wilson Vale (Food Service Champion 2019) | |
| Renata Homer | Head of Operations and Customer Experience, Ashorne Hill | |
| Emma Williams | Event Operations Manager, Keele University Events and Conferencing | |
Congratulations to all our competitors and winners of the Cook and Serve Challenge 2024. We hope you will compete again in 2025!
We are already planning Cook and Serve Challenge 2025, and will share the date very soon. Meanwhile, if you would like to have any information around the Cook and Serve Challenge and how you could get involved, please email cookandserve@venuesofexcellence.co.uk and we will get back in touch.