In an exhilarating conclusion to the Hospitality Training Aberdeen North-east Chef and Restaurant of the Year competition, Entier chefs demonstrated exceptional culinary skills, securing medals across multiple categories.
The event marked a historic achievement for Entier as both the senior and junior chefs took home the prestigious awards.
Entier’s Head Chef, Andrew Clark, was crowned North-east Chef of the Year, with a first place win at the awards ceremony held at The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen.
Andrew blew the judges away with his meticulous preparation and mouthwatering dishes. His menu featured a vegan amuse bouche of cashew cream and miso filled vegan pasta with peas, broad beans, tomato and mint.
His starter of salmon cooked in beef fat, crab, pickled vegetables, and white wine sauce highlighted his culinary expertise.
Andrew prepared a complex lamb main course, comprising lamb loin, glazed tongue, lamb fat potato rosti, tender stem, goats curd, and spiced hazelnut.
To finish, was a dessert of glazed raspberry bergamot mousse, salted caramel chocolate fondant tart, and toasted almond ice cream.
Andrew Clark
Simultaneously, Oliver Redgwell-Welch, a Fresh Olive Apprentice who joined the apprenticeship scheme at Entier just last September, was awarded the title of Young Chef of the Year with a first place win. Oliver’s winning three-course menu demonstrated remarkable skill and creativity for a first-time competitor.
Oliver prepared a starter of pan-fried turbot with salmon roe butter sauce, cauliflower puree, dill pickled cucumber and romanesco florets garnished with sea purslane and garlic flowers to wow the judges.
His main was hazelnut and black sesame crushed lamb loin served with fondant potato, asparagus, seasonal mushrooms, wilted wild garlic, tomato and lamb sauce, garlic emulsion garnished with alyssum flowers.
To top off his winning menu, Oliver’s dessert was a malt pastry tart with brown butter sponge and rhubarb, glazed with whisky salted caramel then topped with puffed quinoa, candied pistachios and raspberry and lemon jelly, served with vanilla ice cream and rhubarb compote garnished with lemon balm.
Oliver Redgwell-Welch
Additionally, Glen Christie, another Fresh Olive Apprentice with Entier, secured second place in the Seafood Chef of the Year competition, showcasing his talent with dishes like Asian inspired scallop and halibut ceviche. Also competing in his first ever competition, Dean Davidson, a Chef with Entier’s event division, Wilde Thyme, took home a third place win in the Young Chef of the Year category, with a menu featuring dishes such as roast lamb loin, crisp black olive and parmesan polenta, asparagus, morels, pea puree, and tomato jus.
Peter Bruce, CEO of Entier, expressed immense pride in the achievements of the chefs, stating, “We are incredibly proud of Andrew, Oliver, Glen and Dean for their remarkable accomplishments at the North East Chef and Restaurant of the Year competition.
"This incredible achievement exemplifies the high standards we strive for at Entier and showcases the exceptional talent within the Entier family. Not only does it highlight their individual skills and creativity but it also underscores the strength of our training and mentorship programmes.”
The success of Entier’s chefs would not have been possible without the guidance and support from mentors Orry Shand, Craig Palmer and Craig Coupar. Their invaluable coaching and support played a crucial role in preparing the chefs for the competition and guiding them to victory.
Entier continues to invest in the growth and development of its team, fostering an environment where talent can thrive. The company looks forward to further successes and is committed to maintaining its reputation for excellence in the hospitality industry.