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College students Master Chef manoeuvres

23rd March 2010 - (Click any photos to enlarge)

Catering students from Chesterfield College took on officers from the British Army in a ‘Master Chef’ style contest to test their culinary skills with combat rations.

By creating menus from a basic Army ration pack the students were able to see what a career as a chef in the army could offer. In total, 12 catering students from the College were split into two groups and then tasked with creating a three course meal for ten people. Two of the dishes were then cooked against the clock and presented to the judging officers for taste testing.

One of the judges, Sergeant Mitchell, joined the army almost 20 years ago and has since travelled the globe on operations, even cooking for senior political figures and royalty. Sgt. Mitchell says, “The Army’s catering challenge is the perfect chance for students to see how enjoyable cooking is, even under pressure. Everyone has to eat and you’ll certainly be the best friend of your fellow soldiers, as well as doing a rewarding and satisfying job.”

Chris McHale, Catering Lecturer at Chesterfield College, says, “The idea of the challenge was to engage students by giving them a practical test which encourages them to think on their feet. They learned how to make the best use of equipment and ingredients in a creative way, whether in a fully equipped kitchen or under canvas on military operations.”