Food Competition 2004
Armoury - Heats
The Armoury chefs came up with some very interesting and unusual dishes this year, with the home cured roll-mop herring with a watercress, orange and new potato salad definitely being one to remember. The only suggested improvement to this dish was that warm new potatoes would take the slight chill off the meal.
Starter:
Black Pudding wrapped in bacon, pan-fried with a sun dried tomato and basil dressing
No Wow factor in presentation and tomato and basil dressing didn't add anything, but good black pudding and bacon.
Light Bite:
Home cured roll-mop Herring with a watercress, orange and new potato salad
One to remember, which was very flavoursome. Easy to do and unusual, although possibly would be improved by warm new potatoes.
Main:
Marinated lamb cutlets, char-grilled and served with boiled potatoes and sweet red cabbage gravy
Although both the meat and the red cabbage were very well cooked, the flavours didn't sit happily together.
Pudding:
Baked apple, stuffed with apricots, walnuts and sultanas with clotted cream
Interesting and very morish.
Prepared by:
Lucy Payton, David Phillips
| 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.