Sodexo Prestige chefs score winner for Everton

Gareth Billington and Ed Keogh, chefs for Sodexo Prestige, the UK’s largest event caterer and provider of corporate hospitality packages, scored a bronze medal in the Major International Football Culinary Challenge at the leading foodservice exhibition, Hotelympia in London last month.

The pair, who work for Sodexo Prestige at Everton’s Goodison Park, were selected to represent the company against seven other top chef teams from high profile football stadia across the UK including Wembley, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and Aston Villa’s Villa Park.

Challenged to prepare a two-course VIP lunch, the eight teams were given 90 minutes to produce their menus in front of a live audience.

Gareth and Ed’s starter of Southport shrimp “cocktail” (a panache of Southport shrimps, clams, mussels and scallops on curly kale with Noilly Prat and fennel cream) and main course of Gourmet Scouse (Knowsley estate lamb on wild mushroom and kidney faggot with root vegetables and lamb and red currant jus), proved a match winning combination; earning them a bronze medal from the panel of independent judges at the final whistle.

Executive chef Gareth said: “I hadn’t entered a competition for about 15 years and when I saw this one I thought it would be good to give it a go. The best of the best compete at Hotelympia – you won’t find a better platform as a chef. We nearly missed it as Everton had a match that evening, but luckily we found people to cover for us! I think we did well to get a bronze but now we know what the judges expect, we’ll be aiming for a silver or gold next time.”

Ed commented: “We were up against some really strong competition and I don’t think people expected us to win anything. To beat the team from Wembley was a fantastic achievement as they’re great chefs who’re used to working at a much bigger operation than ours. It was nerve wracking at the beginning when we turned up and saw all the TV crews, but when we got up there and got going it was fine. I think Gareth and I will definitely enter next time around if we get the chance.”

Keith Wyness, Chief Executive at Everton said: “Everyone at Everton is delighted for Gareth and Ed. It is a clear demonstration of the quality of food and service on offer here at Goodison Park. We receive many compliments on a matchday and it is great to see this be recognised in a national competition.”

Simon Bailey, Sodexo Prestige’s managing director, stadia and events, said: “We are extremely proud of Gareth and Ed’s achievement; competitions such as these are a great way for our chefs to be recognised for their skills amongst their peers.  We provided them with all the support we could in preparing for the competition and look forward to seeing them compete in future competitions. ”