Suffolk New College students won a top award at the annual restaurant team of the year competition held in Sheffield.
The learners from SCCA, made up of two chefs and a front of house representative started their journey last year.
After winning two regional heats, the trio made up of Davide Oggero, Brandon Dunnett and Saxon Barnwell were awarded the Highly Commended Kitchen Award, sponsored by Welbilt UK.
On winning this award, David McKown, director of the competition, said: “The Suffolk New College team impressed judges with their precision, teamwork, and innovative use of ingredients, showcasing the depth of talent being nurtured at the Ipswich-based institution.”
The three also won the Lakelands Dairy Challenge.
The overall competition saw the Suffolk New College team go up against four other teams from universities, colleges and culinary schools – and they narrowly missed out on first place that went to The Academy by Simon Rogan.
Daniel Russell-Poole – a chef lecturer at the college – was proud of the team. He said: “The team worked so hard and put in a lot of effort. They were outstanding. They left everything on the table and they should be tremendously proud of themselves.
They have put themselves and the college on a high pedestal of standards.”
Mr Russell-Poole also picked up an award himself when he received the Andrew Bennett Memorial Mentor of the Year Award. He added: “This event is all about the students. That said, it was a tremendous honour to receive this prize.”
Davide from the team has now completed his course and has recently started a role at the Margarets in Cambridge, the younger sibling establishment to the Michelin Star restaurant called Restaurant Twenty-Two.
Brandon is working at Venue 16 Steakhouse and Saxon is currently plying his trade at a hotel and restaurant in Suffolk.
(Both Brandon and Saxon will be returning to the college next year, and their work can be sampled at the college restaurant called Chefs’ Whites).