Student news

Catering team wins national awards

A host of University chefs, baristas and waiting staff are celebrating their recent success in a national catering competition.

Edinburgh’s Accommodation, Catering and Events team battled it out against other UK universities at the 23rd annual TUCO Awards, securing five prizes.

The leading professional membership body for ‘in house’ caterers operating in higher and further education, TUCO works to provide quality standards, advice and information to those working in the sector.

Top accolades

For the second year running, the University received the top accolade in the Barista Skills challenge. Emelise Vassallo, John McIntyre Conference Centre supervisor, won ‘Best Signature Drink’ by creating an espresso fused with star anise syrup, accompanied by homemade honey-infused ice cream, straight from the University’s own beehive, served on a Scottish shortbread base.

Winning best table layup was Emma Cullen, conference and banqueting supervisor, in the Service Skills challenge, the second year the University has achieved this.

Securing two awards was Chef de Partie, Stuart Mitchell, who won Best Newcomer in a hotly-contested category, and placed third overall for the Street Food Chef of the Year category. 

New to 2016 was the vegetarian version of the Speed Cook Challenge in which Karol Zelek, commis chef, claimed second place for her beetroot pancake with mushroom and goat’s cheese salad.

Events as prestigious as TUCO are really important for the university catering industry to help shine a light on the vast talent that these young chefs, baristas and food servers hold.

In our 15th year entering these awards, it is a fantastic to have achieved in five different catering areas. The TUCO awards have helped showcase the intensive training and creative freedom that our staff have within our university under the leadership of the kitchens manager, Gordon Dockhard.

Ian MacaulayAssistant Director of Catering

Related links

Accommodation, Catering and Events

The University Catering Organisation