Two members of staff from Bridge of Weir restaurant The Coach House have reached the national final of a prestigious hospitality competition celebrating emerging talent from across the UK.
Commis chef Chloe Cornfoot and front-of-house colleague Matthew Downie represented the venue at the inaugural Master Chefs of Great Britain Seafood Chef & Front of House Team Competition, held at the City of Glasgow College on 14th April.
The pair were one of only four teams from across the UK to reach the final.
The competition tested contestants on sustainable seafood cooking, technical skill and front-of-house service. Teams were given 90 minutes to deliver a full restaurant experience, including preparing and presenting a seafood main course alongside drinks pairing and customer engagement.
Chloe and Matthew impressed judges with a menu featuring pan-seared Scottish salmon with lemon-buttered plaice and crab tortellini, served with fondant potato, samphire, purple sprouting broccoli and beurre blanc sauce.
The dish was paired with a non-alcoholic “Coastal Garden Fizz” combining juniper, citrus and botanicals.
Photo: Pan-seared Scottish salmon with lemon-buttered plaice and crab tortellini
Photo Credit: Buzzworks
Chloe said: “I’m incredibly proud to have made it to the final and to have represented The Coach House on the national stage.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to push myself creatively, particularly around sustainable seafood, which I’m really passionate about.
“Working so closely with front-of-house makes it even more rewarding, it’s about delivering a complete guest experience, and we were fully focused on that from start to finish.”
Daniel Brown, head chef at The Coach House, praised the duo’s achievement.
He said: “To be one of only four teams to make the final of a competition of this calibre is a phenomenal achievement.
“It reflects not only Chloe and Matthew’s skill and dedication, but the strength of collaboration across our teams.
“We’re incredibly proud to see them representing The Coach House and performing at such a high level under pressure.”
Buzzworks Holdings, which operates The Coach House, is a sponsor of Master Chefs of Great Britain and says it is continuing to invest in training and development opportunities for hospitality staff across its venues.
For more information visit Buzzworks Holdings, here: https://www.buzzworksholdings.com.
Photo: Commis chef, Chloe Cornfoot
Photo Credit: Buzzworks