Culinary student wins bronze at international Young Chef Olympiad

British culinary student Beth Collings took home the bronze prize after competing in the Young Chef Olympiad following a hotly contested final, which took place in Kolkata, India.

Collings, a third-year professional chef diploma student at Westminster Kingsway College, had competed against students from 59 other countries in a series of cook-offs, the first of which took place in Delhi. The 18-year-old was one of only ten students who qualified for the final on 2 February.

Collings credited college chef lecturer Chris Basten for her success. She said: “Chef Basten selected me to compete in the competition and has been so helpful – helping me work out my recipes and guiding me though the things I needed to do in the competition. I can’t believe I won the bronze trophy. It’s been an amazing experience!”

Basten added: “I’m immensely proud of Beth for all her hard work and dedication, as well as her skill as a chef. It was an amazing opportunity for Beth to be representing not just the college, but her country in this international competition. As her mentor, I’m so proud of her – she was professional, sharp and a credit to herself and the college.”

Chen Khai Loong won gold for Malaysia in the competition and Austin Cale Labago won silver for the Philippines.

The judges included renowned UK chefs Chris Galvin and Brian Turner, hospitality educator Professor David Foskett MBE, Anton Edelmann, who was maître chef de cuisines at the Savoy for over 20 years, and hospitality and culinary arts programme manager Paul Jervis.

Westminster Kingsway runs two fine-dining restaurants at its Victoria campus where guests are cooked for and served by students.