The University’s Hospitality Services beat off the competition as they whisked away from this year’s 28th Scottish Culinary Championships competition at Scothot with a host of awards.

Scott Girvan Foremost among these achievements was that of the University’s Executive Chef, Scott Girvan, who placed third in the prestigious Caterer.com Scottish Chef of the Year competition, the highest prize in the championships, which were held over three days at the SECC.

This magnificent achievement rounded off an excellent showing by our University chefs as they came home with four titles between them.

Also competing was Gina Diver, Chef de Partie at the Food Farm in the Garscube campus. She was named first in the Chef @ Salon class for her dish of herb-crusted halibut fillet with tenderstem broccoli, toasted pine kernels, and seafood cream.

Two more University chefs, Craig Whitty and Ross Nicol, also impressed in The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO) Scotland and Northern Ireland Chef’s Challenge. Craig, based on the Gilmorehill campus, was awarded first-in-class for his dish, chorizo and orange crusted organic salmon fillet with balsamic peppers and coriander oil, while Ross, a 25 year old Commis Chef, entering his first competition, came home with a ‘highly commended’ certificate.

Craig’s triumph means that it is the fourth time in a row that a chef from the University of Glasgow has won the TUCO Scotland and Northern Ireland Chef’s Challenge shield.

The battle for the Scottish Chef of the Year title however was the competition finale and saw Scott Girvan cooking against a host of top quality chefs from around the country. To win the title the chefs had to prepare a four-course meal for four people (three portions for the judges to taste plus one portion for display to the audience) in three and a half hours.

Scott’s menu on the day was:

Starter
Carpaccio of marinated venison with pickled root vegetables, wild mushrooms, Anster Scottish cheese and peppercorn drizzle.

Intermediate
Pan fried fillet of John Dory, wilted sea kale and purple sprouting broccoli, toasted pine nuts. Sorrel, tomato and seafood broth.

Main course
Pan-seared pigeon breast with wrapped rabbit loin, cabbage and potato cake, creamed celeriac, butter poached sweet potato, caramelised shallots and game jus.

Sweet
Baked rhubarb jelly, vanilla ice-cream with puff candy crumb. Red apple and rhubarb taster, ginger syrup and crisp wafer.

Next up for Scott is the TUCO Chef’s Challenge, a national team competition for chefs working in Universities around the UK, held annually in Blackpool at the end of March. The team for Blackpool is Scott Girvan, Rory Fitzpatrick and Ricky Craig.

Congratulations to Scott and the rest of the chefs representing the University, why not sample their award-winning cuisine, which is available around campus now!

First published: 4 March 2011

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