Winners 2024
The Sheffield College
(29th February, London) An ambitious Filipino-inspired menu has catapulted Phoebe Tuttle, Beth Brewster and Joe Defries of The Sheffield College into their new roles as 2024 Zest Quest Asia champions, a victory that comes with a weeklong trip of a lifetime to New Delhi, India.
The unveiling of the winners and first prize was the climax of the Zest Quest Asia gala dinner held for the first time at the Hilton London Wembley last Tuesday, 27th February. Attending the annual event were 230 guests from industry and education along with the families of this year’s finalist teams from Cheshire College South & West, Loughborough College, North Hertfordshire College, The Sheffield College, University College Birmingham, and New College Durham.
Earlier in the day, UWL had hosted the competition’s live cook off phase in the training kitchens of the London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism. It was then that The Sheffield College trio, supported by their tutor Andy Gabbitas, truly impressed the judges with their execution of a menu comprising an amuse bouche of Portobello Mushroom Sisig in a Croustade basket; a Tapsilog starter (a Filipino ensemble traditionally made of fried egg, beef tapa and garlic fried rice); a main course of Chicken Adobo with caramelised soy green beans, banana ketchup and annatto peanuts; and a dessert of Turon with ube ice cream and Don Papa caramel sauce.
Winners 2024
Sheffield College
(29th February, London) An ambitious Filipino-inspired menu has catapulted Phoebe Tuttle, Beth Brewster and Joe Defries of The Sheffield College into their new roles as 2024 Zest Quest Asia champions, a victory that comes with a weeklong trip of a lifetime to New Delhi, India.
The unveiling of the winners and first prize was the climax of the Zest Quest Asia gala dinner held for the first time at the Hilton London Wembley last Tuesday, 27th February. Attending the annual event were 230 guests from industry and education along with the families of this year’s finalist teams from Cheshire College South & West, Loughborough College, North Hertfordshire College, The Sheffield College, University College Birmingham, and New College Durham.
Earlier in the day, UWL had hosted the competition’s live cook off phase in the training kitchens of the London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism. It was then that The Sheffield College trio, supported by their tutor Andy Gabbitas, truly impressed the judges with their execution of a menu comprising an amuse bouche of Portobello Mushroom Sisig in a Croustade basket; a Tapsilog starter (a Filipino ensemble traditionally made of fried egg, beef tapa and garlic fried rice); a main course of Chicken Adobo with caramelised soy green beans, banana ketchup and annatto peanuts; and a dessert of Turon with ube ice cream and Don Papa caramel sauce.
Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL FIH, who co-founded Zest Quest Asia with Pervin Todiwala, said, “Congratulations to The Sheffield College, for drawing inspiration from the Philippines, a country that your fellow Sheffield College students visited only two years ago. This is what our competition is all about – students who have experienced and learned first-hand the cuisine of different Asian cultures by getting involved in Zest Quest Asia then pay their knowledge and experience forward. This way slowly but surely more and more budding chefs can be inspired to appreciate and cook Asian food.
Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL FIH, who co-founded Zest Quest Asia with Pervin Todiwala, said, “Congratulations to The Sheffield College, for drawing inspiration from the Philippines, a country that your fellow Sheffield College students visited only two years ago. This is what our competition is all about – students who have experienced and learned first-hand the cuisine of different Asian cultures by getting involved in Zest Quest Asia then pay their knowledge and experience forward. This way slowly but surely more and more budding chefs can be inspired to appreciate and cook Asian food.
Other winners of the evening were:
Best Menu Planning Award
New College Durham
Best Use of Tormek Knife Sharpener
Loughborough College
Best Menu Presentation Award
North Hertfordshire College
Most Sustainable Menu Award
Cheshire College South & West
Best Use of Tilda Rice
North Hertfordshire College
Runner-Up of Zest Quest Asia 2024
University College Birmingham
Andrew Bennett MBE Teamwork Award
New College Durham
Best Use of the Panasonic Accelerated Combination Oven Award
The Sheffield College
Best Use of Hallde Food Processor Award
University College Birmingham
Minimum Wastage Award
University College Birmingham
Other winners of the evening were:
Best Menu Planning Award
New College Durham
Best Use of Tormek Knife Sharpener
Loughborough College
Best Menu Presentation Award
North Hertfordshire College
Most Sustainable Menu Award
Cheshire College South & West
Best Use of Tilda Rice
North Hertfordshire College
Runner-Up of Zest Quest Asia 2024
University College Birmingham
Andrew Bennett MBE Teamwork Award
New College Durham
Best Use of the Panasonic Accelerated Combination Oven Award
The Sheffield College
Best Use of Hallde Food Processor Award
University College Birmingham
Least Wastage Award
University College Birmingham
Zest Quest Asia 2024 Trip Highlights
Andy Gabbitas, Chef Lecturer, The Sheffield College
We visited India courtesy of Tilda Foodservice & Zest Quest Asia in September 2024.
Our Itinerary was varied & very busy indeed !!
We arrived in Delhi & headed off to dinner at The Great Kebab Factory..a fabulous start to our trip.
One of the many highlights followed…a trip to Indian Accent restaurant. We were all blown away by the standard & craft of this beautiful restaurant..the food & hospitality was second to none & was certainly thought-provoking.
From there we participated in culinary exchanges at the International Institute of Culinary Arts, New Delhi!!...the students had an eventful morning learning new Indian recipes whilst I took a class of Indian students & introduced them to British cooking.
A break in all things culinary saw us visiting the Taj Mahal…a breath-taking spectacle & one thing off the bucket list chalked off!!
A 3 hr trip to Taraori & we arrived at to experience an extensive tour of the rice mills & a fascinating presentation about the cultivation of rice & how Tilda are supporting local farmers.
A truly luxurious treat was staying overnight at Noormahal Palace & then visiting the rice fields & the Mundhi markets, where we saw the rice auctions.
Returning to Dehli & we embarked on a morning bike ride around old Delhi, an amazing chance to see the narrow, bustling streets and daily life - from there we had breakfast at Karims, an iconic restaurant in the heart of Dehli. Following this we headed to the International Institute of Hotel Management where we participated in cooking dems & a debate on AI in the kitchens.
The evening was taken up in Bukhara, a restaurant famous for its huge Naans!!.. The menu here hasn't changed in 40 years.
Our last day was spent in the slums of Dehli & visiting an education centre that is fed by Marys's Meals, a charity that Tilda Foodservice supports…what an eye-opener & we were all brought back down to earth with a big bump!!
All in all an absolute whirlwind of a trip… We acquired a great deal of knowledge, and we are so grateful to Cyrus & Pervin Todiwala and the Tilda team for putting together this fantastic trip…Taking part really is the beginning !!!!
Our Itinerary was varied & very busy indeed !!
We arrived in Delhi & headed off to dinner at The Great Kebab Factory..a fabulous start to our trip.
One of the many highlights followed…a trip to Indian Accent restaurant. We were all blown away by the standard & craft of this beautiful restaurant..the food & hospitality was second to none & was certainly thought-provoking.
From there we participated in culinary exchanges at the International Institute of Culinary Arts, New Delhi!!...the students had an eventful morning learning new Indian recipes whilst I took a class of Indian students & introduced them to British cooking.
A break in all things culinary saw us visiting the Taj Mahal…a breath-taking spectacle & one thing off the bucket list chalked off!!
A 3 hr trip to Taraori & we arrived at to experience an extensive tour of the rice mills & a fascinating presentation about the cultivation of rice & how Tilda are supporting local farmers.
A truly luxurious treat was staying overnight at Noormahal Palace & then visiting the rice fields & the Mundhi markets, where we saw the rice auctions.
Returning to Dehli & we embarked on a morning bike ride around old Delhi, an amazing chance to see the narrow, bustling streets and daily life - from there we had breakfast at Karims, an iconic restaurant in the heart of Dehli. Following this we headed to the International Institute of Hotel Management where we participated in cooking dems & a debate on AI in the kitchens.
The evening was taken up in Bukhara, a restaurant famous for its huge Naans!!.. The menu here hasn't changed in 40 years.
Our last day was spent in the slums of Dehli & visiting an education centre that is fed by Marys's Meals, a charity that Tilda Foodservice supports…what an eye-opener & we were all brought back down to earth with a big bump!!
All in all an absolute whirlwind of a trip… We acquired a great deal of knowledge, and we are so grateful to Cyrus & Pervin Todiwala and the Tilda team for putting together this fantastic trip…Taking part really is the beginning !!!!
Phoebe Tuttle, Student, The Sheffield College
We won a once in a lifetime trip to India. My favourite part of the trip was definitely seeing a wonder of the world the Taj Mahal. It was truly spectacular. I also really loved seeing the rice fields and having a go at cutting some crops down. We got taught some Indian recipes at the Institute of Culinary Arts, which I enjoyed & i am now using those recipes at home!! We tried so much new food that I would have never have had otherwise and overall just new experiences thanks to Cyrus, Pervin, Jo & Annette for planning the whole thing.
Joe Defries, Student, The Sheffield College
Our trip to India was a once in a lifetime experience, while we were there we did things I never thought I’d be able to do or see for example the Taj Mahal, we ate at some of the top and most iconic restaurants and spoke to some of the chefs while we were there and it was inspiring and really opened my eyes to Asian cuisine. We learned loads but it didn’t feel like learning because of how much fun we had..Thank you so much to Cyrus, Pervin & all at Tilda Foodservice team for making this an unforgettable trip of a lifetime!!!
Beth Brewster, Student, The Sheffield College
This was my first trip abroad & I don't think it will ever be beaten!!.. I learned loads about Indian cooking & culture.
We saw the Taj Mahal which was amazing, had a great time learning Indian dishes at the Institute of Culinary Arts & ate in some amazing restaurants, especially the Indian Accent.
One of my best memories & I have a lot was the bike ride around Old Delhi, it was amazing to see how busy it was early in the morning. We also ate in an Indian family's home & were made to feel so welcome, the food was awesome.
I enjoyed the visit to the rice mill & the rice fields & learned a lot about the sustainable ways of growing rice.
I cannot thank Tilda Foodservice, Cyrus, and Pervin & all involved in Zest Quest Asia enough for what they have done for me, giving me a fantastic opportunity to see India.
We saw the Taj Mahal which was amazing, had a great time learning Indian dishes at the Institute of Culinary Arts & ate in some amazing restaurants, especially the Indian Accent.
One of my best memories & I have a lot was the bike ride around Old Delhi, it was amazing to see how busy it was early in the morning. We also ate in an Indian family's home & were made to feel so welcome, the food was awesome.
I enjoyed the visit to the rice mill & the rice fields & learned a lot about the sustainable ways of growing rice.
I cannot thank Tilda Foodservice, Cyrus, and Pervin & all involved in Zest Quest Asia enough for what they have done for me, giving me a fantastic opportunity to see India.
Zest Quest Asia 2024 Trip Highlights
Andy Gabbitas, Chef Lecturer, The Sheffield College
We visited India courtesy of Tilda Foodservice & Zest Quest Asia in September 2024.
Our Itinerary was varied & very busy indeed !!
We arrived in Delhi & headed off to dinner at The Great Kebab Factory..a fabulous start to our trip.
One of the many highlights followed…a trip to Indian Accent restaurant. We were all blown away by the standard & craft of this beautiful restaurant..the food & hospitality was second to none & was certainly thought-provoking.
From there we participated in culinary exchanges at the International Institute of Culinary Arts, New Delhi!!...the students had an eventful morning learning new Indian recipes whilst I took a class of Indian students & introduced them to British cooking.
A break in all things culinary saw us visiting the Taj Mahal…a breath-taking spectacle & one thing off the bucket list chalked off!!
A 3 hr trip to Taraori & we arrived at to experience an extensive tour of the rice mills & a fascinating presentation about the cultivation of rice & how Tilda are supporting local farmers.
A truly luxurious treat was staying overnight at Noormahal Palace & then visiting the rice fields & the Mundhi markets, where we saw the rice auctions.
Returning to Dehli & we embarked on a morning bike ride around old Delhi, an amazing chance to see the narrow, bustling streets and daily life - from there we had breakfast at Karims, an iconic restaurant in the heart of Dehli. Following this we headed to the International Institute of Hotel Management where we participated in cooking dems & a debate on AI in the kitchens.
The evening was taken up in Bukhara, a restaurant famous for its huge Naans!!.. The menu here hasn't changed in 40 years.
Our last day was spent in the slums of Dehli & visiting an education centre that is fed by Marys's Meals, a charity that Tilda Foodservice supports…what an eye-opener & we were all brought back down to earth with a big bump!!
All in all an absolute whirlwind of a trip… We acquired a great deal of knowledge, and we are so grateful to Cyrus & Pervin Todiwala and the Tilda team for putting together this fantastic trip…Taking part really is the beginning !!!!
Our Itinerary was varied & very busy indeed !!
We arrived in Delhi & headed off to dinner at The Great Kebab Factory..a fabulous start to our trip.
One of the many highlights followed…a trip to Indian Accent restaurant. We were all blown away by the standard & craft of this beautiful restaurant..the food & hospitality was second to none & was certainly thought-provoking.
From there we participated in culinary exchanges at the International Institute of Culinary Arts, New Delhi!!...the students had an eventful morning learning new Indian recipes whilst I took a class of Indian students & introduced them to British cooking.
A break in all things culinary saw us visiting the Taj Mahal…a breath-taking spectacle & one thing off the bucket list chalked off!!
A 3 hr trip to Taraori & we arrived at to experience an extensive tour of the rice mills & a fascinating presentation about the cultivation of rice & how Tilda are supporting local farmers.
A truly luxurious treat was staying overnight at Noormahal Palace & then visiting the rice fields & the Mundhi markets, where we saw the rice auctions.
Returning to Dehli & we embarked on a morning bike ride around old Delhi, an amazing chance to see the narrow, bustling streets and daily life - from there we had breakfast at Karims, an iconic restaurant in the heart of Dehli. Following this we headed to the International Institute of Hotel Management where we participated in cooking dems & a debate on AI in the kitchens.
The evening was taken up in Bukhara, a restaurant famous for its huge Naans!!.. The menu here hasn't changed in 40 years.
Our last day was spent in the slums of Dehli & visiting an education centre that is fed by Marys's Meals, a charity that Tilda Foodservice supports…what an eye-opener & we were all brought back down to earth with a big bump!!
All in all an absolute whirlwind of a trip… We acquired a great deal of knowledge, and we are so grateful to Cyrus & Pervin Todiwala and the Tilda team for putting together this fantastic trip…Taking part really is the beginning !!!!
Phoebe Tuttle, Student, The Sheffield College
We won a once in a lifetime trip to India. My favourite part of the trip was definitely seeing a wonder of the world the Taj Mahal. It was truly spectacular. I also really loved seeing the rice fields and having a go at cutting some crops down. We got taught some Indian recipes at the Institute of Culinary Arts, which I enjoyed & i am now using those recipes at home!! We tried so much new food that I would have never have had otherwise and overall just new experiences thanks to Cyrus, Pervin, Jo & Annette for planning the whole thing.
Joe Defries, Student, The Sheffield College
Our trip to India was a once in a lifetime experience, while we were there we did things I never thought I’d be able to do or see for example the Taj Mahal, we ate at some of the top and most iconic restaurants and spoke to some of the chefs while we were there and it was inspiring and really opened my eyes to Asian cuisine. We learned loads but it didn’t feel like learning because of how much fun we had..Thank you so much to Cyrus, Pervin & all at Tilda Foodservice team for making this an unforgettable trip of a lifetime!!!
Beth Brewster, Student, The Sheffield College
This was my first trip abroad & I don't think it will ever be beaten!!.. I learned loads about Indian cooking & culture.
We saw the Taj Mahal which was amazing, had a great time learning Indian dishes at the Institute of Culinary Arts & ate in some amazing restaurants, especially the Indian Accent.
One of my best memories & I have a lot was the bike ride around Old Delhi, it was amazing to see how busy it was early in the morning. We also ate in an Indian family's home & were made to feel so welcome, the food was awesome.
I enjoyed the visit to the rice mill & the rice fields & learned a lot about the sustainable ways of growing rice.
I cannot thank Tilda Foodservice, Cyrus, and Pervin & all involved in Zest Quest Asia enough for what they have done for me, giving me a fantastic opportunity to see India.
We saw the Taj Mahal which was amazing, had a great time learning Indian dishes at the Institute of Culinary Arts & ate in some amazing restaurants, especially the Indian Accent.
One of my best memories & I have a lot was the bike ride around Old Delhi, it was amazing to see how busy it was early in the morning. We also ate in an Indian family's home & were made to feel so welcome, the food was awesome.
I enjoyed the visit to the rice mill & the rice fields & learned a lot about the sustainable ways of growing rice.
I cannot thank Tilda Foodservice, Cyrus, and Pervin & all involved in Zest Quest Asia enough for what they have done for me, giving me a fantastic opportunity to see India.