Ayr College Student Wins Great Potato Challenge 2009

Ten catering students from across the country battled it out recently in a bid to take home one of the top three prizes in the grand final of the Potato Council’s ‘Great Potato Challenge’ competition 2009. The annual event, which aims to increase awareness of potatoes and the benefits they offer the foodservice sector saw a panel of expert judges sample a range of dishes that featured a wide variety of potatoes and cooking methods.

The student finalists all demonstrated great flair and a real understanding of the potato varieties they had chosen, making it a very close competition. But it was a tasty dish developed by a student in her second year on the HND Hospitality Management course at Ayr College in Scotland that really stood out from the rest.

The dish, ‘Red Rooster and Dunsyre Blue Potato Cake with Truffled Spinach, Petite Ratatouille and Red Rooster Pepper Dressing’, earned its creator Kallaya Smillie the esteemed title of ‘Great Potato Challenge Champion 2009.’

Kallaya, who is originally from Thailand, admitted she hadn’t cooked a potato before starting her studies! She really impressed the judges with her disciplined approach to working in the kitchen as well as her outstanding dish, which she specifically created for the competition.

She said: “I really felt I was in with a good chance of winning this competition as I’m so passionate about cooking. I created the recipe from scratch and practiced it constantly!

I’m completely over the moon that I won, it’s a huge achievement. I adore potatoes because they are so versatile and can be cooked in so many different ways. I actually grow my own crop at home in the summer months - there’s nothing more satisfying then cooking with my own produce.

“My goal is to become a professional chef when I finish my studies and winning a competition like this shows that I can cope under pressure in busy working kitchen. I’m sure it will impress future employers when they see this on my CV!”

As well as winning the esteemed title of ‘Great Potato Challenge Champion’, Kallaya also took home £500 prize money, a trophy, framed certificate and a seven piece knife set donated by catering supplier 3663.

Second place position went to Jack Rawlings from Westminster Kingsway College in London, who impressed the judges with his dish ‘Crispy Potato and Purple Sprouting Broccoli Tart with a Potato, Beetroot and Artichoke and Herb Salad.’ And in third place was Robert Gibson of Radbrook College in Shrewsbury with his ‘Smoked Appleby and Potato Souffle and Wild Mushroom Cannelloni with Mushroom Foam’.

Heike Kroemer, marketing executive at the Potato Council, said: “The final this year was extremely tough with ten finalists all vying for the champion title. The students produced some exceptional dishes and they should all be very proud of their efforts. It’s not easy to cook in a completely new environment under such intense pressure.

“Kallaya’s dish stood out as a winner because it was incredibly tasty and cooked to perfection. She also demonstrated a great deal of creativity and understanding of the potato variety used.

“There is increasing demand for more tasty potato-based dishes on menus; they’re delicious, filling and can be a healthy option. While sales of potatoes in the foodservice sector are estimated to be worth £2.51 billion, chips still dominate the category. The Great Potato Challenge aims to increase the range and quality of potato recipes on offer – and ultimately build sales for the future – and this year has been hugely successful in terms of innovation and excellence.

“We hope the competition has helped to encourage future professional chefs to think more about the versatility of potatoes, the excellent profit potential they offer – particularly in the current economic climate – and the many different varieties available so that they continue to cook-up more delicious potato-based dishes.”

Pictured (left to right): Group: front row – Jack Rawlings, Kallaya Smillie and Robert Gibson back row – Sarah Allen, Heike Kroemer, Alan Coxon, Pierre Koffmann and Claire Harrison

Notes to Editors:

• The Great Potato Challenge now in its fourth year, was launched by the Potato Council following research which revealed that consumers would like to see more potato dishes on pub and restaurant menus.
• Following an initial paper judging round, ten finalists were selected to attend the cook-off final which took place on Monday 23 February at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College.
• The second place prize winner received £300, trophy, certificate and knife set from 3663, while the third place prize winner received £200, trophy, certificate and knife set from 3663.
• The competition was judged by: Potato Council marketing executive, Heike Kroemer; master chef, Pierre Koffmann; chef and potato specialist, Claire Harrison; celebrity TV chef, Alan Coxon and journalist, Sarah Allen.

The full results of the Great Potato Challenge 2009 are as follows: