Food Competition 2008 Stages

We've pointed out below each pub's best dish on the day. Click the link to see their whole line up.

Best Dish: Buttercross farm pork chop, sweet potato and rhubarb

Armoury

Chefs: Gareth Lane and Sarah Lean

Gareth and Sarah put in a very strong performance all round with particularly good invention in the salad course, a dish that would be worthwhile developing. [more...]

Best Dish: Eve's pudding with vanilla custard (for two to share)

Black Jug

Chefs: Philippe Humbert and Tim Reed

A little more time spent on the development of these dishes was necessary but the standard of cooking was good nonetheless. A shortfall in price sensitivity was also reflected in a the cuts of meat and the resulting cost of the some of the dishes. [more...]

Best Dish: Blade of pork with sage and onion braised potatoes and curly kale

Combermere Arms

Chefs: Natalie Ellis and Alaistair Logan

A brilliant performance from the Combermere with Natalie and Ally excelling themselves through out every course with great cooking and attention to detail. [more...]

Best Dish: Baked egg custard tart

Corn Mill

Chefs: Paul Harris and John Chaplin

Paul and John's dishes were consistent through out the day and were all executed to a high standard. All four courses would sit nicely on the menu straight away. A very strong performance, well done. [more...]

Best Dish: Roast rack of spring lamb with spinach and basil garlic potato cake and sticky cabbage

Cross Foxes

Chefs: Daniel Edwards and Leanne Wallis

Great imagination and use of ingredients was evident through out the Cross Foxes menu. Each dish was well put together, with an all round good level of cooking. [more...]

Best Dish: Leek and blue cheese croquette with warm tomato salsa

Dysart Arms

Chefs: Chris Murton and Benjamin Blackford

Overall Chris and Ben cooked up some great dishes. A little more development and refining would just add the finishing touches to all four courses and they'd sit great on the menu. [more...]

Best Dish: Rabbit pie

Fox

Chefs: Greg O’Neil and Dave Hiorns

The overall level of cooking was to a high standard from the Fox team but all the dishes lacked going through the development process to refine the end product. Carry this out and they would improve greatly. [more...]

Best Dish: Confit of salmon with ginger and broccoli

Glasfryn

Chefs: James Sweeney and Bev Roberts

Team Glasfryn showed consistency from beginning to end, with the salmon main course really standing out as the best dish. A few refinements on the other dishes would enhance their execution. [more...]

Best Dish: Crab pannacotta with guacamole and melba toast

Grosvenor Arms

Chefs: David Varney and Jeni Clegg

Dave and Jeni showed a real aptitude for producing great food, with only their salad course letting them down but this could be easily rectified. Well done. [more...]

Best Dish: Fish pie with buttered parsley mash and green vegetables

Hand and Trumpet

Chefs: Jamie Oliver and Lucy Anthony

Jamie and Lucy put in a phenomenal performance producing food to an exceptionally high standard. Mouth-watering attention to detail has guaranteed them a place in the final. [more...]

Best Dish: Seared scallop tomato and peach salad

Hare

Chefs: Carolina Jeppson and Katy Pye

Simple and pure flavours were used cleverly through out Carolina's and Katy's inventive menu, all of which was cooked exceptionally well. The scallop and peach salad was triumphantly the dish of the day. [more...]

Best Dish: Steak and kidney pie with new potatoes and root vegetable mash

Old Harkers Arms

Chefs: Carl Shone and Sarah Drake

Carl and Sarah excelled themselves at every stage with an impressively high standard of cooking and consistency. [more...]

Best Dish: Moroccan lamb salad

Pant-yr-Ochain

Chefs: Dave Holland and John Hibbert

All in all the Pant team put in a very good effort this year with glimpses of excellence showing through in some of the dishes. [more...]

Best Dish: Roast rib of Welsh Black beef for two with horseradish mash and vegetables

Pen-y-Bryn

Chefs: Dean Edwards and Andy Coverley

Dean and Andy excelled themselves tremendously, it was obvious that great care, thought and practice had been given to every dish. Certainly deserving they're place in the final round. [more...]

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.