North Hertfordshire College’s Level 3 Professional Cookery student, Phil Maddison, recently jetted off to Venice to compete in the finals of the CombiGuru challenge – and we’re proud to share that he took second place!
The competition saw catering students from across the country come together for an exclusive experience, showcasing their technical abilities and creative flair as they worked with the CombiGuru ONOX ovens. Phil impressed the UNOX chefs with his skills and preparation, cooking techniques, plating of his dishes, and the taste of his food. As a result, he walked away with an impressive prize haul of top-of-the-range knives and a lunch experience at a Michelin Star restaurant!
Check out Phil’s thoughts about his competition experience in his open letter:
“When the CombiGuru Challenge was announced, it seemed too good to be true. For the first stage, you had to get the most points in a quiz-style activity based on the UNOX ovens, and the top scorers would go to Italy to compete! I was ecstatic when I found out I’d won, and the whole trip was better than I could have imagined.
“The competition day was very relaxed and enjoyable. I especially liked being able to choose from a range of fresh and dry ingredients and getting to show my skills on a plate. All of us were competing, but still working together like a kitchen team regarding the communal equipment. It helped that we were all in the same boat, too, by being in a different country with ovens that most of us hadn’t used before.
“The hospitality we experienced from UNOX and the Burnt Chef Project just made the weekend so enjoyable, especially the guided tours around Venice and having chances to dine at different restaurants. Ristorante Venissa’s Osteria was especially inspiring, with sustainability at the heart of the restaurant and the fact they use produce grown on the grounds in their menu and their wines!
“This experience has given me an insight into Italian food and culture, and I’m grateful to those involved in making it happen.”
If you fancy putting your own cooking skills to the test, why not check out North Hertfordshire College’s Hospitality & Catering courses? With NHC, you can stay close to your friends and family and compete in amazing experiences, helping you go far in your future career!