Winner of Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge 2022 Crowned
After battling it out against hundreds of culinary students from across England, Scotland and Wales, Rishiram Chaudhary from Eastleigh College took top spot and Best in Class at this year’s Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge.
Formally known as the Major Series, the Chef’s Culinary Challenge is one of the industry’s longest-standing, most prestigious young chef competitions. Run in partnership with The Craft Guild of Chefs, the competition brings together catering students from across the UK to compete. Giving students one of their first opportunities to go head-to-head with their fellow pupils, the competition allows them to showcase their skill and talent. Kick-started with regional heats in January and February at colleges in Eastleigh, Durham, Loughborough, South Devon, Llandudno and Glasgow, each regional winner and runner-up of the Major Main Course Challenge goes through to the national final in London in March.
Taking place at HRC 2022, the Live National Final pitted the regional winner and runner up against one another in the 50-minute Main Course Challenge. Each competitor was tasked with preparing, cooking and presenting two portions of a plated main course dish that would be suitable for a fine dining, brasserie menu. Using at least one Major product, judges were looking for a dish that was balanced, flavoursome and well presented, with additional points being awarded for professional technique, skill, hygiene, timing, seasonality and sustainability.
Taking top spot in the national competition, Rishiram Chaudhary wowed the judges with his great guinea fowl dish, taking home the top prize of a £500 voucher, while his college also received a £200 voucher. Rishiram, a level 3 Advanced Professional Catering student from Eastleigh College, initially entered the competition as a way of building his own skills for his future career. In a closely fought final, Rishiram took top spot, ahead of students from Durham, Exeter, Hartlepool, Loughborough, South Devon and Glasgow.
On winning the competition, Rishiram Chaudhary commented:
“I am delighted to have won the National Final of the Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge. Having won my regional heat, I knew the pressure would be on when on the national stage, so I practiced hard, creating my dish from scratch. The competition has allowed me to develop my skills for the future. My thanks go out to my lecturers at Eastleigh College for their ongoing support and guidance.”
The Main Course Challenge was the flagship contest of several competitions that make up the Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge. Students from across the UK also had an opportunity to compete in the Street Food Cook-Up, the Pan-Asian Vegan Culinary Challenge, Wrap & Go Food Skills, Coffee Shop Cake Bake, Care Afternoon Snack Food, Bakery, Restaurant Skills and The Takeaway Coffee & Quick Bite rounds.
On the longevity and continued success of the competition, Fergus Martin, Senior Development Chef at Major added:
“Major is extremely proud to support such a prestigious student chef competition in partnership with The Craft Guild of Chefs. Given the challenges that our industry has faced over the past two years, being able to celebrate the future talent and rising stars of our industry is needed more than ever. The Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge welcomes students from across the UK to compete to showcase their talent and skill on a national stage. This year, the competition was more closely contested than ever, which makes Rishiram’s achievement extra special – our congratulations go to him and the team at Eastleigh College. We look forward to watching Rishiram’s career go from strength to strength in the future.”
To find out more about the Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge, to apply for a place in next year’s competition, or to find out more about Major stocks, sauces and gravies, please visit www.majorint.com or call +44 (0)1933 356012.
Standard Supplier
8th May 2022
Winner of Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge 2022 Crowned
After battling it out against hundreds of culinary students from across England, Scotland and Wales, Rishiram Chaudhary from Eastleigh College took top spot and Best in Class at this year’s Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge.
Formally known as the Major Series, the Chef’s Culinary Challenge is one of the industry’s longest-standing, most prestigious young chef competitions. Run in partnership with The Craft Guild of Chefs, the competition brings together catering students from across the UK to compete. Giving students one of their first opportunities to go head-to-head with their fellow pupils, the competition allows them to showcase their skill and talent. Kick-started with regional heats in January and February at colleges in Eastleigh, Durham, Loughborough, South Devon, Llandudno and Glasgow, each regional winner and runner-up of the Major Main Course Challenge goes through to the national final in London in March.
Taking place at HRC 2022, the Live National Final pitted the regional winner and runner up against one another in the 50-minute Main Course Challenge. Each competitor was tasked with preparing, cooking and presenting two portions of a plated main course dish that would be suitable for a fine dining, brasserie menu. Using at least one Major product, judges were looking for a dish that was balanced, flavoursome and well presented, with additional points being awarded for professional technique, skill, hygiene, timing, seasonality and sustainability.
Taking top spot in the national competition, Rishiram Chaudhary wowed the judges with his great guinea fowl dish, taking home the top prize of a £500 voucher, while his college also received a £200 voucher. Rishiram, a level 3 Advanced Professional Catering student from Eastleigh College, initially entered the competition as a way of building his own skills for his future career. In a closely fought final, Rishiram took top spot, ahead of students from Durham, Exeter, Hartlepool, Loughborough, South Devon and Glasgow.
On winning the competition, Rishiram Chaudhary commented:
“I am delighted to have won the National Final of the Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge. Having won my regional heat, I knew the pressure would be on when on the national stage, so I practiced hard, creating my dish from scratch. The competition has allowed me to develop my skills for the future. My thanks go out to my lecturers at Eastleigh College for their ongoing support and guidance.”
The Main Course Challenge was the flagship contest of several competitions that make up the Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge. Students from across the UK also had an opportunity to compete in the Street Food Cook-Up, the Pan-Asian Vegan Culinary Challenge, Wrap & Go Food Skills, Coffee Shop Cake Bake, Care Afternoon Snack Food, Bakery, Restaurant Skills and The Takeaway Coffee & Quick Bite rounds.
On the longevity and continued success of the competition, Fergus Martin, Senior Development Chef at Major added:
“Major is extremely proud to support such a prestigious student chef competition in partnership with The Craft Guild of Chefs. Given the challenges that our industry has faced over the past two years, being able to celebrate the future talent and rising stars of our industry is needed more than ever. The Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge welcomes students from across the UK to compete to showcase their talent and skill on a national stage. This year, the competition was more closely contested than ever, which makes Rishiram’s achievement extra special – our congratulations go to him and the team at Eastleigh College. We look forward to watching Rishiram’s career go from strength to strength in the future.”
To find out more about the Major Chef’s Culinary Challenge, to apply for a place in next year’s competition, or to find out more about Major stocks, sauces and gravies, please visit www.majorint.com or call +44 (0)1933 356012.
