NECTA Competition, April 12th and 13th 2011
NECTA Competition, April 12th and 13th 2011
The North East Culinary Trades Association hold this competition in a local venue every year, and the College has always played a full part in it.
The first day is largely student-focused, with the main theatre centring on live work in "pods" by students from various colleges, cheered on enthusiastically by a large audience there to enjoy the spectacle. Additionally, a range of "static" displays are also put up, in various categories as part of the overall competition.
I mentored one student in the live class to assemble a "Decorated Gateau", and a school student who made a plate of scones which were displayed for "Afternoon Tea" as part of the static display.
For the scones, I contacted an expert in baking powders and chemical leaveners, who I first visited as a student working on a raw materials assignment for my BTEC in Baking Technology. A few tweaks to the recipe, and a decision to use dates and pecan nuts as flavour, and we were sorted. A bit of practice in the 2 weeks leading up to the Competition, and my scholar came and made his scones early on the day, so we could take them and display them absolutely fresh. First prize achieved here.
In the live class, I had selected a Level 1 student to enter this category. She actually already does her own cake decorating from home. Her business is only just getting off the ground, but clearly she just has natural talent....in spades. She did most of her work for the Competition at home, with me acting as adviser through text message and e-mail and phone. Try as I might, I could not get her to feel nervous about the whole experience. Veera is so laid back; but it finally hit her when she arrived at the venue at the Civic Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne, to find I was still back at base waiting to drive over last minute with the scones.
Anyway, a decorated gateau is quite different to the expert sugarcraft work Veera normally surrounds herself with. This is the design she came up with; devastatingly simple in appearance, but obvious complexity and skill in execution. She deservedly won the gold medal and took the trophy in this category.
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A teaching colleague also entered the Live Easter Cake, and took a third place up against experts from the local Sugarcraft Guild.
As for our College; we took 12 first places overall. This is more than we have ever achieved. Overall, we won the Live Classes and came 2nd in the Static displays, and took top spot for the coveted "Overall Best College" prize.
In spite of all the difficulties in our professional world right now, all the lecturers were on a high for the rest of the week, and we could break up for Easter feeling really good about what we do. The main kudos, however, goes to our students. What a set of stars they are!
Best wishes
Andy