The University's Accommodation, Catering and Events (ACE) team celebrates a winning performance at a sector-leading event for catering professionals from UK universities.
Standout performances from ACE team members ensured entrants were placed first and second in the barista focused categories at the TUCO (The University Caterers Organisation) Competition.
Held at the University of Warwick, the annual TUCO Competition brings together higher education’s top food and drinks professionals to test their skills in a series of fast-paced, high-level challenges.
Barista and café assistant Andrii Kumza, who joined ACE in September 2023 and works across cafés in the central campus area, made a remarkable competition debut.
Driven by a passion for coffee, Andrii entered the Latte Art Smackdown Challenge, a new event for 2025, with his visually stunning designs earning him first place in his first year of competition.
Also celebrating success was George Mitea, Assistant Manager at the John McIntyre Conference Centre, who took home dual silver medals in both the Latte Art Smackdown and the Barista Skills Challenge.
We are incredibly proud of all our colleagues who represented the University at TUCO 2025 and congratulate Andrii and George for their well-deserved medal wins. Everyone brought dedication, skill, and creativity to the competition and they embody the drive that makes our catering team exceptional. These events offer an incredible opportunity for professional development and our results show that the University of Edinburgh remains at the forefront of excellence in university catering.
The University was also represented in a range of other categories by skilled colleagues from ACE, with specialist chefs and culinary experts taking part.
Neil Mackenzie and Richard Paton competed in the Chefs’ Challenge, showcasing their culinary expertise and teamwork.
Stuart Palmer entered the Love British Food Challenge, which celebrates seasonal produce, Danny Petrie took part in the Best Burger Challenge, while Filip Gajdamowicz showed plant-forward creativity in the Vegan Challenge.
