Professional Catering trio head to the live finals

Adriel Mascharenas, Alfie Bradford and David Carr are studying Level 2 Professional Catering and upon being introduced to the prestigious Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2022, the trio came together to enter as a team representing Cambridge Regional College. 

The Country Range Student Chef Challenge invites UK colleges to enter teams of three full-time student chefs studying catering or hospitality. The teams must devise a three-course, four cover menu that showcases their skill and understanding of flavours, and the team must be able to prepare, cook, and deliver their smoked fish canapes, guinea fowl main course and crumble dessert within 90-minutes.

Working with Chef lecturer, Jake Piper, the trio of chefs devised their menu with the time restriction in mind and the need for originality, to ensure they would stand out from the competition. Succeeding in their aim, the trio have secured themselves a place as one of eight teams to reach the finals, which will take place later this year.

Alfie said, “I didn’t think we would make it to the final. We were up against other colleges, and it didn’t enter our minds that we might make it beyond the heats. When chef Jake told us were in shock.”

All three students have had a keen interest in catering for many years and now work part-time in the industry alongside their studies. The young chefs will now have to recreate their menu and present the dishes to an impeccable standard under the watching eyes of leading judges from the Craft Guild of Chefs.   

We are approaching this competition as a team and we are working well together. Our plan is to enjoy ourselves. The finals are in London and that will add pressure, but nerves are not a bad thing.

Adriel Mascharenas

Explaining how they are going to prepare for the live finals at the Hospital, Catering and Restaurant show at London’s ExCel, David concluded, “We are going to practice our dishes several times between now and the finals in March, to perfect our timing and presentation. We have 90 minutes to prepare and present our three-course menu to the judges.”  

Find out more about studying Culinary Arts and Hospitality at Cambridge Regional College. 

Read more about the Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2022. 

Adriel Mascharenas

Adriel grew up in Goa, India. He completed his high school education and relocated to the UK in 2017. Upon arrival in the UK, Adriel enrolled with Cambridge Regional College to improve his English on an ESOL course. Following his ESOL studies, Adriel was encouraged to learn a trade but it soon became apparent to Adriel that his passion lay elsewhere, and he switched from Plumbing to Catering. 

David Carr

David did his GCSE’s at Sancton Wood in Cambridge after moving from middle school. At middle school, David studied Food Nutrition, but was unable to continue to GCSE as his new school did not offer the subject. Upon leaving secondary school, David enrolled on the Level 2 Professional Catering course at Cambridge Regional College. 

Alfie Bradford

Alfie studied GCSE Food Nutrition at Netherhall School and unsure of what to do after his secondary education he started looking at Post 16 options. Identifying the range of Catering and Hospitality courses at Cambridge Regional College, Alfie enrolled on the Level 2 Professional Catering Diploma.