Academy launches F&B Challenge

The Academy of Food and Wine Service has relaunched its popular chef and front of house team menu competition as the AFWS Food & Beverage (FaB) Challenge 2011.

The competition, which includes a FaB College Challenge for students, requests entries from chef and a front-of-house teams either working in hospitality, or attending college. The teams are required to devise, cook and present a two-course menu with suitable accompanying beverages under the theme ‘Best of British’.

The winning FaB Challenge team will receive a bursary of £1,000 towards a training or educational visit of their choice, dinner at a top restaurant and a case of Champagne.

The winning FaB College Challenge team will receive a ‘stage’ at a top hotel or restaurant, a case of Champagne and dinner at a top restaurant.

The FaB Challenge is designed to encourage and reward good teamwork between front of house and back of house, giving both team members the opportunity to use their knowledge and creativity to work together to create a Best of British menu that will impress the judges.

“The FaB Challenge aims to support learning and development and reward talent and creativity,” says AFWS executive director Sophie Roberts Brown. “This year we have expanded the range of permitted ingredients so that both menu and beverage elements represent the Best of British. Contestants can choose key products that represent the qualities of British food to create the ultimate menu combination.”

The competition will involve entrants submitting details of their menu and beverage lists. Judging will be based on presentation, use and choice of ingredients and the matching of suitable drinks.

“We are looking for a two course menu that works together as a complete meal and one that uses a degree of regional products. The menu must be creative and thoughtfully executed,” adds Roberts Brown.

The five best FaB Challenge entries will attend a cook and serve final in London on 28 November 2011 while the top five entries to the FaB College Challenge will receive a visit from the judges in October, when they will cook and serve their two-course menu. The results of both competitions will be announced in London on 28 November.

The deadline for entries is 30 September 2011. Entry forms can be downloaded from the Academy’s website at www.afws.co.uk. Alternatively contact Helen Glen at the Academy of Food and Wine Service on 020 8661 4646 or email her on Helen@acfws.org.

For further press information please contact Linda Pettit at Tilburstow Media Partners on 01883 742955, mobile 07973 789853 or email Linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk.

Editor’s notes

About the Academy of Food and Wine Service

The AFWS was established in 1988 as the professional body for front-of-house service. It is dedicated to improving the status and awareness of food and beverage service as a viable career choice, raising standards across the industry and encouraging teamwork with other colleagues. AFWS can offer advice and training to anyone following, or considering, a career as a sommelier, wine waiter, waiter, bar manager or restaurant manager.

This year has been an important one for the Academy. Earlier this year the BBC programme Michel Roux’s Service was screened, based on an original idea developed by the Academy. The AFWS was closely involved in the making of the programme. In July 2011 AFWS was awarded a prestigious industry Catey Award for the marketing campaign it carried out surrounding the programme.

Most recently the Academy has formed a strategic alliance with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) and launched a Progressive Pathway training scheme, which enables front of house staff to receive training from basic level up to degree level.

www.afws.co.uk.