A Farrington Lodge chef has won this year’s Classic Lodges Culinary Challenge, winning the opportunity of a lifetime to meet celebrity chef Marcus Wareing at London’s Berkeley Hotel.

Alex Mather beat off other contestants by creating a Guinea Fowl main course and dessert from surprise ingredients. As such, he will be given a tour of the kitchens, have supper at the restaurant, and meet the two-Michelin starred chef.

Now in its sixth year, the competition displays the culinary proficiency of chefs throughout the Classic Lodges hotel chain.

Iain Shaw, Director of Key Accounts at PSL, the company working with Classic Lodges on food procurement, and a judge, said this year was especially tough: “The end product’s taste and presentation was important, but we also adjudicated on a range of other factors including hygiene, knife skills, waste management, dish costings and for the first year allergens where included through “What in my Dish” with the recent change in food legislations.”

Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Classic Lodges, Richard Smith, highlighted the competence of chefs throughout the group: “We are proud to be producing such high quality food, and competitions like this emphasise constant improvement that continues to draw in customers at record levels.”
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