Food Competition 2004
Pen-y-Bryn - Heats
Overall Chris and Paul cooked up some well-executed dishes, although the main course didn't quite hit the nail on the head. The roasted peaches with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce was an overwhelming success and a sure one to look out for on the menu.
Starter:
Deep fried goat's cheese with roasted leeks, peppers and bacon
A bit sweet. Cheese should have been saltier and from Wales. The stack presentation grated, but overall a good dish.
Light Bite:
Garlic field mushrooms on toasted herb bread with Snowdonia cheddar
Very pleasant and tasty to eat, with firm mushrooms and good bread.
Main:
Chicken breast wrapped in bacon, with cabbage and leek potato cake and grain mustard sauce
Good British food, but the sauce was a bit non-descript. The potato and cabbage cake was hidden under the stack, which didn't help.
Pudding:
Roasted peaches with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce
A perfectly executed, classic and imaginative dish.
Prepared by:
Chris Hobson, Paul Rudd
| Heats | Final | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Black Jug | ||
| Old Harkers Arms | ||
| Hare | ||
| Grosvenor Arms | Grosvenor Arms | |
| Pant-yr-Ochain | Pant-yr-Ochain | Pant-yr-Ochain |
| Armoury | ||
| Dysart Arms | ||
| Glasfryn | ||
| Cross Foxes | ||
| Corn Mill | Corn Mill | |
| Pen-y-Bryn |
The Challenge
Every pub must enter a starter, light bite, main course and pudding. The dishes need to be prepared, cooked and put together in the morning before judging at lunchtime.
In the first round, three or four pubs each day go up against each other. The winner overall on each day goes through to the final, which is held two weeks later.
Pub managers and senior chefs are encouraged to come along for the judging and to lend support at the tastings and see what their crews have done, but they can't make any alterations or comment until after the judging - or heckle the other pub teams.
The Criteria
Each dish will be judged under the following criteria; the written description of the dish; the style of the dish; presentation; taste and balance; value for money for the customer; gross profit to the pub; kitchen efficiency; likelihood of consistent reproduction; ease of service to the table.
Prizes
The winning team will enjoy the glory, the admiration and undoubtedly the accusations of bias and double-dealing from all their peers. They will also receive a trophy and probably a case or two of something quaffable to share amongst the team.