Salon Culinaire is a national competition and dishes must be appetising and pleasing to the eye, have a nutritionally balanced composition with tastes and colours that enhance the dish, show a high level of skill and cooking methods and be practical to serve. Chefs are encouraged to consider where produce is sourced, sustainability and how to save on wastage and energy.
Approximately 15 chefs competed in each category, arriving from a variety of organisations nationwide including, among others; the armed forces, the Craft Guild Culinary Academy, other Colleges from the University of Cambridge and Catermasters Skills Funding Agency.
Luca’s silver medal winning dishes were
Sous-vide Gressingham duck breast, pastille and aubergine compression of confit duck legs, fondant potato, baby vegetables, cherry jus.
Sous-vide Norfolk pork fillet with toasted nut granola, slow cooked pork belly, black pudding bon bon, quince gel, glazed apple sphere, potato and spinach compression, butternut squash purée red cabbage, green beans, port jus.
Luca’s creativity and skill were also recognised at the Cambridge Culinary Competition in 2011, where he won individual awards and the Clare College team won the coveted Stewards’ Cup. In addition, the regular feedback from illustrious external clients and College members is excellent, with the Bishopsgate Ward Club recently remarking “we all agree that the College’s culinary standing and reputation in Cambridge is thoroughly well justified!”
Luca aims to continue presenting dishes at a competitive level whilst leading and inspiring the team at Clare College. The current fine dining menu is for November – April and is available to view online http://www.clareconferencing.com/finedining/menu.html
If you would like to request more information about dining and other services at Clare College, such as our conference facilities, please email the team on conferencing@clare.cam.ac.uk
View the full results from Salon Culinaire 2013
_________________________________________________________