The British Culinary Federation has announced the English National Culinary Teams that will be competing in the Culinary World Cup in November.
Six chefs, plus support from an additional six, from both the BCF and the Craft Guild of Chefs, will combine under the BCF banner for the senior competition held at the Expogast exhibition in Luxembourg on 20-24 November.
Bocuse d’Or champion Simon Hulstone, who will co-captain the team with Mark Hill, executive chef at the House of Commons, told BigHospitality it is the first time an English team has been put forward.
“Last year it was the BCF team that went to the Culinary World Cup, but now, because all the chefs are happy to be placed under the one banner, we have been able to hand pick the best British chefs from different groups,” he said.
Only members of the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) may enter the competition, of which the BCF is the official national member for England. The Federation of Chefs Scotland and the Welsh Culinary Association are also members of WACS, responsible for the Scottish and Welsh teams.
Variety of chef skills
The English teams, who will be sponsored by Heinz Foodservice, Steelite International, University College Birmingham and Electrolux Professional, will be tasked with creating a three-course meal for 105 covers, plus creating various sugar and chocolate artworks, and hot and cold buffets and platters.
Hulstone added: “We’re taking a varied senior team who can do both pastry and savoury. We’re going over there to set the standard for other English teams in the future.”
The junior team will comprise of students from University College Birmingham.
The senior team for the Culinary World Cup are:
- Simon Hulstone, chef proprietor of The Elephant, Torquay
- Mark Hill, executive chef at the House of Commons
- Nick Vadis, executive chef at Compass Group
- Adam Smith, sous chef at The Ritz
- Clark Crawley, sous chef at Barclay’s Wealth
- Andrew Jones, executive chef at The Westbury Hotel
- Andy Ditchfield, House of Commons
- Ben Ford, head chef Compass House
- Matt Owens, executive pastry chef at Zuidam UK
- Steve Taylor, Compass Group
- Andy Twells, executive chef for Restaurant Associates Aviation