Gastronomy Team of the Year 2010

The Academy’s Gastronomy Team of the Year competition is designed to highlight the importance of a good working relationship between kitchen and front-of-house staff. Entries are invited from chef/waiter teams from restaurants of any size and style. They will be asked to impress a panel of judges with the planning and serving of a two-course meal with accompanying wines, demonstrating careful consideration of ingredients, seasonality, balance of flavours, with a choice of wines that genuinely complement the food.

This year’s competition is held in association with food and drink campaign Discover the Origin and supported by Harpers Wine & Spirit. Discover the Origin is a campaign to educate food and wine professionals about the provenance and origin of five Discover the Origin PDO products: Parma Ham; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; Burgundy wines; Port; and Douro Valley wines. The teams will be asked that their choice of dishes includes one of the two PDO ingredients, with their own selection of accompanying PDO wines.

“Gastronomy Team of the Year is a great opportunity for employers and managers to encourage their front and back of house brigades to work together, fostering good teamwork and a greater understanding between the two departments,” added Scade. “It’s a good training exercise as well as the chance to show-off their skills and raise the profile of their restaurant.”

Entries will initially be judged on answers to a questionnaire. Successful teams will then send in written menu submissions with the chef required to outline the ingredients and preparation method for the dishes and the wine waiter to explain the choice of wines. Entries will also be assessed on presentation and the theory and reasoning behind the food and wine combination.

The best team from each of the five regions – The South, London, Wales & The Midlands, The North, and Scotland - will then be invited to compete for the top accolade during a practical ‘cook and serve’ final on 19 July 2010 at Westminster Kingsway College, London.

The winning team will receive a fabulous 10-day trip courtesy of Discover the Origin to the three regions involved including Burgundy, Parma and the Douro Valley to deepen their understanding of the history and provenance behind the products in the PDO campaign.

Please contact the Academy of Food & Wine on 020 8661 4646 for an entry form, or download one from www.afws.co.uk. The closing date for entries is 26 February 2010.

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