National Learning Network Trainees Win Top Awards at Chef Ireland Competition
National Learning Network trainees were today (27th February) celebrating having achieved top awards at the Knorr Ability Challenge, part of this year’s Chef Ireland event at the RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin.
Eleven catering students, eight from National Learning Network, were presented with their awards by Marie Kelly, Director of Training and Employment, Rehab Group. Each participant in the Knorr Ability Challenge, which was sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, had just forty-five minutes to prepare a starter and a main course of their choice for two people using two products from the Knorr Larder. The medals were awarded to the participants by a judging panel comprising top Irish chefs.
Speaking at the event, John McCarthy, an instructor with National Learning Network Bray and founder of the Ability Challenge said “The Knorr Ability Challenge provides students with disabilities with the unique opportunity to showcase their considerable skills and compete with other trainee chefs from around the country. The high quality training courses provided by National Learning Network, as well as St John of Gods and Stewarts Hospital, has ensured that people with disabilities acquire the skills and qualifications necessary to build real careers in the catering industry.”
Commenting on the competition, Willie Somers, Unilever Foodsolutions Executive Chef and one of the competition’s judges said “The judges were hugely impressed by the culinary skills demonstrated at today’s competition, and perhaps more importantly, by the enthusiasm of all those who participated. The standard of cooking in the Knorr Ability Challenge is a credit to the participants and the instructors and tutors who supported them.”
Carol O’Reilly, a student with St John of Gods in Dublin, was named as the overall class winner in the Knorr Ability Challenge and secured a position with Eurest, one of Ireland’s leading catering companies, as part of her prize. Carol also received a Rehab Group sponsored Dublin Crystal presentation, one of 33 such trophies being presented to class winners in each of the hot food competitions at the Chef Ireland event.
Over the past few years, the Knorr Ability Challenge has become a regular fixture of the Chef Ireland Competition. Chef Ireland is a full international culinary competition that rewards practical professional cookery and restaurant services. The competition is co-ordinated by the Panel of Chefs of Ireland and is designed to showcase the creativity, skill and imagination of Ireland’s chefs.
Meanwhile, there was cause for a double celebration in National Learning Network Limerick when Paul McMahon, a Catering Skills student at the centre, won a Certificate of Merit in the Junior Chicken Sauté competition.
“We’re all so proud of Paul and his achievements. This is the first time that a National Learning Network student has ever entered a mainstream competition at the Chef Ireland event and he did extremely well. He worked extremely hard throughout the year and deserves every success,” said Emily Cleary, Catering Skills Instructor with National Learning Network Limerick.
Emily was also celebrating her own personal triumph at the Chef Ireland event, having won a top award in the Open Bar Food Competition. Emily was presented with a bronze medal for her mouth-watering dish of Marinated Crumbed Chicken pan-fried, served with Cucumber and Mint Raita, Tomato and Mango Salad and Lime scented Rice.
Award winners in the Knorr Ability Challenge:
Certificates of Merit
– Denis Joyce – National Learning Network Limerick
– Phillip O’Callaghan, National Learning Network Hollyhill
– Catherine O’Mahoney, National Learning Network Hollyhill
– Cathy Sinnott, National Learning Network Waterford
– Aidan Brazil, National Learning Network Waterford
– Cathy Farrell, National Learning Network Portlaoise
Bronze Medals
– Seanan Kennedy, National Learning Network’s Roslyn Park College
– Ryan Nicholson, National Learning Network’s Roslyn Park College
Silver Medal
– Lisa Foley, Stewarts Hospital
Gold Medal
– Anthony Lavell, St John of Gods, Dublin
– Carol O’Reilly, St John of Gods, Dublin – Overall Class Winner