Sodexo Prestige chefs score winner for Hampden Park

David Ward and Andrew MacDougall, chefs for Prestige Scotland, a division of 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.

Executive chef David and his assistant, Andrew, who both work for Prestige Scotland at Hampden Park, Scotland’s national football stadium, were selected to represent the company against seven other top 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 lunch suitable for their club chairman and a VIP guest, the eight teams were given 90 minutes to produce their dishes in front of a live audience.

David and Andrew’s starter of roasted scallops with celeriac purée, caviar and vanilla foam and main course of roasted duck crown with baby bok choy, chicken and prawn wantons and a watercress salad, proved a match winning combination for the panel of independent judges, who awarded them bronze medals at the final whistle.

Collecting his medal, Andrew said: “I was a wee bit nervous. It was my first competition so I didn’t know what to expect. David’s a great teacher and he suggested I enter as he thought it would be a good experience for me. Our colleagues at Hampden Park were really impressed. We’d definitely like to have another go next time if we get the chance.”

Alyson Cawley, managing director, Sodexo Prestige Scotland, said: “We are extremely proud of Andrew and David’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.”