Zest Quest Asia is a team competition designed to demonstrate the student competitor’s technical expertise, creativity, knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Asian cuisine. The winning team will win the opportunity of a lifetime to embark on a culinary study tour to an Asian destination.
Please read this section carefully as the prize will be arranged from the UK on specific dates. These dates cannot be amended.
This competition is open to college students enrolled on a full-time, recognised catering course, and who are permanent residents of the United Kingdom. Students who are in the UK short-term or under a student visa are excluded from entering the competition. There is NO age limit.
Zest Quest Asia is a team competition designed to demonstrate the student competitor’s technical expertise, creativity, knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Asian cuisine. The winning team will win the opportunity of a lifetime to embark on a culinary study tour to an Asian destination.
Please read this section carefully as the prize will be arranged from the UK on specific dates. These dates cannot be amended.
This competition is open to college students enrolled on a full-time, recognised catering course, and who are permanent residents of the United Kingdom. Students who are in the UK short-term or under a student visa are excluded from entering the competition. There is NO age limit.
The presentation of the dishes can be modernised, but the essence of the
dishes must remain authentic with a focus on traditional cooking techniques and ingredients
SPONSOR PRODUCTS – The following sponsors’ products will need to be
incorporated in the menu as stated. A template will be provided to supply the
information of how and where these products meet the criteria. Additional
information and links to tutorials will be sent once interest is
registered.
Tilda Rice:
Students should use their imagination and creativity and use any of the Tilda range of Basmati rice. The Basmati rice needs to be used in its natural form (no rice flours, noodles, pasta etc.) and can be used in any course except the Amuse Bouche. If used in the main course the Basmati rice must be the hero on the plate, but must not be used as a biryani. A live tutorial will be recorded and sent to all colleges who register their interest.
Panasonic Combination Oven
Three cooking combinations will need to be used during the process of producing your menu. Finalist will be sent an oven to practise with. A tutorial will be sent to all colleges who register their interest.
Hallde CC-34 Combi Cutter/Food processor
This machine must be used during the competition and all finalists will be sent a unit to practise with.
Tormek Knife Sharpener:
College teams to use the sharpener provided by Tormek periodically throughout the competition, a judge from the sponsor will examine each college’s knives at the end of the competition to ascertain which college has looked after their knives best, and will decide on the winner. All finalists will receive a sharpener to practise with.
No drinks are required unless we ask you to pair a dish with a sponsor’s beverage.
Each team will be able to appoint a lecturer to work with them to assist with their research and paper entry, and if the team is selected, be present at the cook off.
STAGE ONE is to register your interest with Cora Stachan at [email protected]
You will then be sent advice and information about how to use and get the
best from sponsors’ products. This could include online tutorials which you
will be notified about in due course. This is the time to start researching,
planning and practising your menu.
Please note all teams that all colleges that register their interest in
entering Zest Quest Asia will be given access to a tutorial given by the Tokyo
College of Sushi and Washoku. You will be able to pick up hints and tips on
the cultural history of Japanese cuisine, ingredients and Washoku.
Deadline to register interest 3rd November 2023.
STAGE TWO all college lecturers from colleges who have registered will be invited to
attend an online forum with Steve Munkley, Chairman of Judges and Cyrus where
Steve will guide you through how to complete your entry form to maximum
effect, and to help you understand what the judges will be looking for. The
tutorial will be recorded and will be available for any colleges unable to
join on the day.
Date of Tutorial 9th November about 2.30/3pm
STAGE THREE
will require each team to fill in the
entry form and send to Cora
Strachan at [email protected] along with:
*Please use the templates provided with your entry form for points 1-5
Last date for entries: Friday 8th December 2023. Please note there WILL NOT be an extension to this deadline
STAGE FOUR
Paper Judging will take place over the Christmas period, and the finalists will be announced on Wednesday 3rd Jan 2024. Teams will be notified by email
whether they have been successful or unsuccessful in progressing to the
cook-off stage.
STAGE FIVE
Team Presentation and Q&A Session
After the cook-off sessions, each team will take part in a 10 – 15-minute presentation
delivering the learnings they have developed during the research part of the
competition about their chosen Asian Cuisine
The presentation is to possibly cover the following points but not
exclusively. If you feel that other facts you have established are more
important to your presentation, please share these with us.
*Please remember that this stage carries 25% of the total marks*
Note:
There is no requirement to use visual aids but if you wish to, then you may –
no marks are awarded for the use of technology. Teams are not required to
bring printed laminated packs for the judges. It is best that they demonstrate
all that they wish to either by way of AV presentation or verbal and
spoken.
Teams will each be allocated a table outside of the presentation room, on
which to create a display to complement their menu – the tables may be brought
in for the duration of the presentation. The displays will be left in situ
until after the Gala Dinner the following night for guests to view, and will
be photographed plus filmed with the video being shown to guests during the
dinner
The presentations will take place at the Hilton, Wembley who will also host
the Gala Dinner where the winners of ZQA will be announced the following
evening. (Accommodation will be provided for all teams at the Hilton Wembley
on the 26th and 27th
February, where appropriate this will be on a shared basis).
STAGE SIX
The Cook-Off
The Cook-Off will take place at University West London (UWL) on Tuesday 27th February 2024.
A maximum of 2 hours is allowed to produce the four-course meal for four covers from the recipes and working methods supplied by the colleges. Recipes, costings and working methods for the finalists can be updated
prior to the final cook off but must reach Cora Strachan by Tuesday 20th February 2024. This is because the marks for costings and menu balance will be completed
prior to the competition by the judges.
All basic equipment will be provided by UWL who have very well-equipped
kitchens. Colleges to bring only knives and any specialist equipment needed to
prepare their menu. All ingredients to be provided by the colleges. In some
circumstances, teams will be required to use sponsors’ products but if so,
teams will be informed accordingly, and samples will be provided for
practice.
Costing 5% Wastage
5% Use of the Sponsors’
products 5% Workmanship, hygiene,timings 15%
Authenticity of the dishes 10% Presentation of the
dishes 10% Taste and Flavour of the dishes
15% Teamwork 10% Final
team presentation on Asian menu 25%
The presentation of the dishes can be modernised, but the essence of the
dishes must remain authentic with a focus on traditional cooking techniques and ingredients
SPONSOR PRODUCTS – The following sponsors’ products will need to be
incorporated in the menu as stated. A template will be provided to supply the
information of how and where these products meet the criteria. Additional
information and links to tutorials will be sent once interest is
registered.
Tilda Rice:
Students should use their imagination and creativity and use any of the Tilda range of Basmati rice. The Basmati rice needs to be used in its natural form (no rice flours, noodles, pasta etc.) and can be used in any course except the Amuse Bouche. If used in the main course the Basmati rice must be the hero on the plate, but must not be used as a biryani. A live tutorial will be recorded and sent to all colleges who register their interest.
Panasonic Combination Oven
Three cooking combinations will need to be used during the process of producing your menu. Finalist will be sent an oven to practise with. A tutorial will be sent to all colleges who register their interest.
Hallde CC-34 Combi Cutter/Food processor
This machine must be used during the competition and all finalists will be sent a unit to practise with.
Tormek Knife Sharpener:
College teams to use the sharpener provided by Tormek periodically throughout the competition, a judge from the sponsor will examine each college’s knives at the end of the competition to ascertain which college has looked after their knives best, and will decide on the winner. All finalists will receive a sharpener to practise with.
No drinks are required unless we ask you to pair a dish with a sponsor’s beverage.
Each team will be able to appoint a lecturer to work with them to assist with their research and paper entry, and if the team is selected, be present at the cook off.
STAGE ONE is to register your interest with Cora Stachan at [email protected]
You will then be sent advice and information about how to use and get the
best from sponsors’ products. This could include online tutorials which you
will be notified about in due course. This is the time to start researching,
planning and practising your menu.
Please note all teams that all colleges that register their interest in
entering Zest Quest Asia will be given access to a tutorial given by the Tokyo
College of Sushi and Washoku. You will be able to pick up hints and tips on
the cultural history of Japanese cuisine, ingredients and Washoku.
Deadline to register interest 3rd November 2023.
STAGE TWO all college lecturers from colleges who have registered will be invited to
attend an online forum with Steve Munkley, Chairman of Judges and Cyrus where
Steve will guide you through how to complete your entry form to maximum
effect, and to help you understand what the judges will be looking for. The
tutorial will be recorded and will be available for any colleges unable to
join on the day.
Date of Tutorial 9th November about 2.30/3pm
STAGE THREE
will require each team to fill in the
entry form and send to Cora
Strachan at [email protected] along with:
*Please use the templates provided with your entry form for points 1-5
Last date for entries: Friday 8th December 2023. Please note there WILL NOT be an extension to this deadline
STAGE FOUR
Paper Judging will take place over the Christmas period, and the finalists will be announced on Wednesday 3rd Jan 2024. Teams will be notified by email
whether they have been successful or unsuccessful in progressing to the
cook-off stage.
STAGE FIVE
Team Presentation and Q&A Session
After the cook-off sessions, each team will take part in a 10 – 15-minute presentation
delivering the learnings they have developed during the research part of the
competition about their chosen Asian Cuisine
The presentation is to possibly cover the following points but not
exclusively. If you feel that other facts you have established are more
important to your presentation, please share these with us.
*Please remember that this stage carries 25% of the total marks*
Note:
There is no requirement to use visual aids but if you wish to, then you may –
no marks are awarded for the use of technology. Teams are not required to
bring printed laminated packs for the judges. It is best that they demonstrate
all that they wish to either by way of AV presentation or verbal and
spoken.
Teams will each be allocated a table outside of the presentation room, on
which to create a display to complement their menu – the tables may be brought
in for the duration of the presentation. The displays will be left in situ
until after the Gala Dinner the following night for guests to view, and will
be photographed plus filmed with the video being shown to guests during the
dinner
The presentations will take place at the Hilton, Wembley who will also host
the Gala Dinner where the winners of ZQA will be announced the following
evening. (Accommodation will be provided for all teams at the Hilton Wembley
on the 26th and 27th
February, where appropriate this will be on a shared basis).
STAGE SIX
The Cook-Off
The Cook-Off will take place at University West London (UWL) on Tuesday 27th February 2024.
A maximum of 2 hours is allowed to produce the four-course meal for four covers from the recipes and working methods supplied by the colleges. Recipes, costings and working methods for the finalists can be updated
prior to the final cook off but must reach Cora Strachan by Tuesday 20th February 2024. This is because the marks for costings and menu balance will be completed
prior to the competition by the judges.
All basic equipment will be provided by UWL who have very well-equipped
kitchens. Colleges to bring only knives and any specialist equipment needed to
prepare their menu. All ingredients to be provided by the colleges. In some
circumstances, teams will be required to use sponsors’ products but if so,
teams will be informed accordingly, and samples will be provided for
practice.
Costing 5% Wastage
5% Use of the Sponsors’
products 5% Workmanship, hygiene,timings 15%
Authenticity of the dishes 10% Presentation of the
dishes 10% Taste and Flavour of the dishes
15% Teamwork 10% Final
team presentation on Asian menu 25%